Life expectancy for men and women in West Dunbartonshire is lower now than it was a decade ago, new figures suggest.

Provisional data released by the National Records of Scotland (NRS) shows male life expectancy was 73.2 years in the period 2020-22. In 2010-12 the value stood at 74.6.

Meanwhile, the number for women was 78.4 years in 2020-22. Back in 2010-12, the value was slightly lower at 78.6.

It means West Dunbartonshire has the second-lowest life expectancy rate in the country, with only Glasgow City lower than the local authority, with 72.9 for men and 78.2 for women.

Scotland-wide, the life expectancy among men and women has stayed at roughly the same from 10 years ago.

Male life expectancy is at 76.52 compared to 76.51 in 2012 and female life expectancy is 80.73 against 80.75.

It is the third period in a row that life expectancy for both men and women has fallen in Scotland from the most recent highs of 77.1 and 81.1 in the years 2017-2019, respectively.

Those highs followed six periods of fluctuation in life expectancy during which the highest it reached was 77.10 for men in 2013-2015 and 81.15 for women in 2014-2016.

Despite the recent drop, male life expectancy is still better than it was 20 years ago, the data suggests, with men now living more than three years longer than they did in 2000-2002.

Female life expectancy has improved at a lesser rate, however, with women only living a little over two years longer on average.