Adults with severe mental illness die 15 to 20 years earlier from diseases such as cancer

Exclusive: Stark health inequalities in terms of deaths before age of 75, NHS data reveals

Adults with severe mental illness are nearly five times more likely than their peers to die from serious physical diseases before the age of 75, according to research.

The analysis of NHS data by the Rethink Mental Illness charity reveals that people with severe mental health problems die 15-20 years earlier than the wider adult population, largely due to preventable physical conditions.