The 2024 Scottish Health Survey results presented in this report provide an important picture of health and wellbeing in Scotland, now providing trends over more than twenty years. The report provides information on the prevalence of physical and mental health conditions and on health-related risk factors including smoking, alcohol consumption, diet, food insecurity, physical activity and obesity.
As a study of public health, the Scottish Health Survey (SHeS) plays an important role in assessing health outcomes, health risks and the extent of health inequalities in Scotland and how these have changed over time. While some positive changes have been recorded, Scotland continues to record a significantly lower life expectancy compared to other countries in the UK and Western Europe, as well as continued disparity in health outcomes between those living in the most and least deprived areas.