IN AN age where people are constantly bombarded with information on smart phones, tablets and laptops, society has never been more informed about our health.

Whether it’s an app to help you lose weight or an article on the symptoms of cancer, a quick Google search is only one click away.

Yet some health problems, such as obesity and mental health issues, are at an all-time high in Bolton and the rest of the UK.

The type of health problems experts have to deal with have also shifted dramatically in the past 50 years.

Wendy Meredith is director of public health in Bolton and has marked the shift of the organisation from the Primary Care Trust to Bolton Council with a new type of annual report.

The last time the local authority was responsible for public health was in 1972, which inspired Mrs Meredith to write a report comparing the health of Bolton population then and now.

The 1972 report was written by Dr Alistair Ross, the then medical director for health in Bolton.

Both reports try to delve into the cause of good or bad health. Living longer and reducing disease would have been more of a priority for Dr Ross and his colleagues, whereas now, health chiefs want to help people to live a life “worth living”.

Mrs Meredith said: “This is about learning from the past and looking to the future of people’s health in Bolton.

“We want to look at how the move to the council could improve the future of public health and people’s lives.

“The job itself is essentially the same. We look at health statistics to understand what that means for the health of people in Bolton.”

The prevalence of infectious diseases has dramatically changed in the last 40 years. Measles stands out as one of the main ones in 1972 with 1,050 cases in Bolton.

Now, there are about 3,000 a year and only 50 confirmed cases in the North West in 2013.

The major killers in Bolton are largely unchanged. Cardiov-ascular disease (CVD), cancer and respiratory conditions are still the biggest cause of death in the town.

Back in 1972, Dr Ross recognised lung cancer as a serious and preventable killer in Bolton.

He noted the rise in lung cancer deaths from 18 in 1943 to 115 in 1972.

He wrote: “It is particularly desirable for children not to start smoking, but with a third to half of boys already smoking by the time they reach 15, to persuade children not to smoke is obviously a very big problem.”

The main difference now is that smoking is much more of a social taboo.

Children as well as adults are actively encouraged to use stop smoking services as well as campaigns like Stoptober.

Yet still more than 480 people die of lung cancer as a direct result of smoking every year in Bolton and that does not include deaths due to smoking-related diseases.

The same goes for alcohol-related illnesses such as chronic liver disease and cirrhosis.

These are on the rise and the number of people being admitted to hospital with alcohol-related illnesses or injuries continue to put an added strain on busy A&E units.

Mrs Meredith explained: “Tobacco is one of those health issues that was an issue back then and still a big issue today.

“Since 1972, many people have managed to give up smoking. However, we cannot afford to be complacent. Alcohol was not recognised as a health concern at all in 1972. Since then we have seen increasing numbers of people with health harm as a result of alcohol.

“People do drink much more than they used to 40 years ago but we have got better at dealing with it as a health problem.”

Obesity is a problem largely ignored in Dr Ross’s report, whereas now one in five of all reception aged children, one in three Year Six children and 60 per cent of adults in Bolton are overweight or obese.

“There are far more people who are obese now,” added Mrs Meredith.

“It’s down to people eating a diet with a much higher calorie count and a much less active lifestyle.”

Technology has transformed health care and Public Health wants to make the most of digital media and social networking to educate people about their health.

Cllr Ann Cunliffe, cabinet member for Public Health, said: “I used to work for the NHS and I remember when public health left the responsibility of local government, so I was very interested to see how far it has come since then.

“We’ve seen many significant improvements to people’s health and way of life over the past 40 years, in terms of pollution and immunisation.

“It’s amazing what has been achieved.

“However, modern life brings with it a set of different issues and we recognise that we face a number of challenges in creating a healthier future for the residents of Bolton.”