Mild mental illness 'raises risk of premature death'

People with mild mental illnesses such as anxiety or depression are more likely to die early, say researchers.

They looked at the premature deaths from conditions such as heart disease and cancer of 68,000 people in England.

The research suggested low level distress raised the risk by 16%, once lifestyle factors such as drinking and smoking were taken into account.

More serious problems increased it by 67%, the University College London and Edinburgh University team said.

The risk among those with severe mental health problems is already well documented. Read more about this story here.

6th August 2012