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Life expectancy statistics for both Cardiff and Swansea show a gap of as much as a decade between people living in different parts of Wales' two main cities.

Those differences have always existed, but Gareth Williams - a professor of sociology at Cardiff University - says the gap is widening, rather than shrinking.

"Within Cardiff you've got quite dramatic contrasts between the northern area of Cardiff and the old docks area. There's a 10 year life expectancy difference," says Prof Williams.

"Everyone's life expectancy is getting better. The life expectancy of people in poor communities has been getting better very slowly. Whereas the life expectancy of people in wealthier places is getting better quite quickly."

"So the gap between the two continues to widen."

Nathan Evans is co-ordinator of Butetown Communities First - part of the Welsh Government's attempts to improve the living conditions and prospects of people in the most disadvantaged communities across Wales.

He says the gap in life expectancy is a cause for concern but needs to be kept in perspective.

"When we're talking about life expectancy we're talking about lifestyle, diet, housing conditions - a whole range of factors," he tells Eye on Wales.

"This is a big challenge for us in terms of access, the level of health care in their localities and also just public confidence in reporting ilnesses and taking care of oneself."

"So on the one hand it needs to be contextualised but on the other it is a major cause of concern for a lot of service providers.