While deaths before the age of 60 in the UK have nearly halved in the past 40 years, the rate for women remains similar to Slovenia's and Albania's.

Experts said the large inequality gap was to blame for the findings, which were reported in the Lancet journal.

Globally, men in Iceland and women in Cyprus had the lowest risk, the Washington University-led team found.

Smoking and drinking

In the UK, 58 deaths per 1,000 among women were before the age of 60, while for men the figure stood at 93.

In western Europe only Danish and Belgian women had a higher risk than those in the UK.

British men fare a little better as the early death rate is mid-ranking for western Europe.

Professor Danny Dorling, an expert in health inequalities from Sheffield University, said the poor performance of the UK was down to health inequalities.

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