Scots who live in the country's poorest areas are twice as likely to die early or live with long-term ill health, research has shown.

A study for NHS Health Scotland has uncovered the scale of health inequality in Scotland, highlighting thousands of deaths which, the authors say, "didn't need to happen".

It found nearly a third of early deaths and health conditions could be avoided if the entire population had the same life circumstances as the people who live our wealthiest areas.

The report also showed that early death and illnesses associated with drugs, tobacco, poor diet and alcohol were far more common in the poorest areas than in wealthiest areas.

Death rates from drug-related conditions were 17 times higher in Scotland's most deprived areas.

Death rates from alcohol dependence were 8.4 times higher in these areas.

And death rates caused by lung cancer were more than four times higher.

Researchers said most of the conditions that cause most of the burden of disease are related to modifiable factors that affect our health.

Dr Diane Stockton, the study lead, said: "The stark inequalities highlighted in our report represent thousands of deaths that didn't need to happen. Illnesses that people didn't have to endure, and tragedy for thousands of families in Scotland.

"It does not have to be this way. The fact that people in our wealthiest areas are in better health and that conditions that cause most of the ill health and early death result from things we can change - like illnesses associated with mental wellbeing, diet, drug use and alcohol dependency - shows that it is possible to create a fairer healthier Scotland.

"Our report highlights that to do this, we have to improve the life circumstances of people in our poorest areas and prevent their early death or avoidable ill health.

"This is about more than encouraging healthy choices. It's easier to access the things that harm our health in these areas, and so no one type of behaviour change is going to solve this problem on its own.

It's about addressing the environment we live, rest, play, work and learn in so that it supports us to be mentally and physically well."