The High Peak Health profile for 2008, produced by the Association of Public Health Observatories and funded by the Department of Health, shows levels of smoking during pregnancy among High Peak women are 20.8 per cent compared to 16.1 per cent nationally.

While the report found that the health of people in High Peak is generally better than the England average, it also details the health inequalities within the area, with men in the most deprived groups having a four-year shorter life expectancy than those in the least deprived group.

Smoking kills around 160 people in the High Peak each year and the death rate from road accidents is also higher than average, with around 75 people killed or seriously injured each year.

Female life expectancy, statutory homelessness and breast feeding initiation rates are also all below the national average.

But statistics for violent crime, teenage pregnancy, physically active children and adults and new cases of tuberculosis are all significantly better than the England average.

Dr David Black, director of public health at Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust said: "In Derbyshire there are big issues for us around the fact that one in four people smoke and that obesity rates continue to rise.

"This year the PCT will continue to encourage people to adopt healthy lifestyles by working closely with public, voluntary and private sector agencies as we believe that preventative measures, such as our stop smoking service, will help to improve the health and well-being of every single person in Derbyshire. Different parts of Derbyshire have particular problems and the PCT is working locally to tackle these specific problems."

Reducing the number of early deaths from cancer, heart disease and stroke are all key priorities for the PCT this year as a result of the report being published.

Derbyshire County Primary Care Trust (PCT), the NHS organisation responsible for improving and protecting the well-being of Derbyshire residents, is already working to tackle health inequalities throughout the county and reduce the large and unacceptable gaps in life expectancy between different areas.

Key findings for Derbyshire as a whole show reduced death rates from all causes for men and women, with early deaths from cancer, heart disease and strokes decreasing as well as levels of violent crime, children's tooth decay and drug misuse being better than the national average.