Research by The Independent Pharmacy analysed 419 high streets across the UK to identify the areas where unhealthy choices dominate.
Bromley High Street came in fifth in the UK and fourth in London, primarily due to its high concentration of fast food and sweet shops compared to gyms and healthy cafés.
The high street is home to 37 takeaways, 11 sweet shops, 6 vape shops, 5 off-licences, and 8 pubs and bars, while offering just 3 gyms, including Pure Gym near Bromley South Station and the Pavilion Leisure Centre.
The street scored 85.11 out of 100 overall, with an air quality score of 56, highlighting the combined effect of lifestyle and environmental factors on public health.
Bromley isn’t alone in ranking poorly however, as seven high streets from South East London feature among the UK’s Top 50 unhealthiest streets, demonstrating a regional trend where unhealthy options dominate.
Other streets include Deptford High Street, Lewisham (73.72), Broadway, Bexley (73.63), Lee High Road, Lewisham (71.85), New Cross Road, Lewisham (71.43), Lewisham High Street (67.93), and Sydenham Road, Lewisham (65.28).
Higher overall and air quality scores indicate greater health risks, showing that unhealthy high streets are a significant challenge across the region.
Dr Donald Grant, Clinical Advisor at The Independent Pharmacy, said: “Where we live often defines how we live.
“High streets should support healthy decisions, not make them harder.
“When fast food outlets outnumber gyms twenty to one, we’re setting people up to fail.
“In many towns, the unhealthy option isn’t just available, it’s unavoidable.
“Communities dominated by takeaways and alcohol outlets face higher risks of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
“It’s not that people don’t understand the risks; it’s that their surroundings make the healthy choice the hardest one to make.
“With one in four adults in England now obese, these high streets are feeding a growing public health crisis.
“If nothing changes, we’ll see shorter lives, poorer quality of life, and widening health inequalities.
“Britain’s health is being shaped not only in hospitals or GP surgeries, but on the pavements of its high streets.”
The News Shopper contacted Bromley Council but has not received a response.
Full list of 50 most unhealthy high streets:
- Stockport Road, Stockport = 100.00
- London Road, Croydon = 91.21
- High Street, Sutton = 87.06
- Oxford Street, Westminster = 86.65
- High Street, Bromley = 85.11
- Edgware Road, Westminster = 83.90
- High Street, Barnet = 82.55
- Wilmslow Road, Manchester = 80.21
- Lower Addiscombe Road, Croydon = 79.77
- High Street, Brentwood = 79.75
- Buxton Road, Stockport = 79.64
- Great Portland Street, Westminster = 79.58
- Victoria Street, Westminster = 79.12
- Brighton Road, Croydon = 79.02
- London Road, Stockport = 78.79
- Stafford Road, Sutton = 78.65
- Baker Street, Westminster = 78.39
- High Road, Haringey = 76.66
- Portland Road, Croydon = 75.87
- Portswood Road, Southampton = 75.49
- Piccadilly, Westminster = 74.57
- Finchley Road, Barnet = 74.25
- London Road, Merton = 74.19
- Deptford High Street, Lewisham = 73.72
- Broadway, Bexley = 73.63
- Strand, Westminster = 73.52
- Regent Street, Westminster = 72.88
- High Street, Slough = 72.86
- Hertford Road, Enfield = 72.79
- Shaftesbury Avenue, Westminster = 72.42
- Lee High Road, Lewisham = 71.85
- New Cross Road, Lewisham = 71.43
- East Barnet Road, Barnet = 71.36
- Green Lane, Barking And Dagenham = 71.16
- Mansfield Road, Nottingham = 70.80
- High Road, Redbridge = 70.70
- West Hendon Broadway, Barnet = 70.69
- Farnham Road, Slough = 69.28
- Uxbridge Road, Hillingdon = 68.93
- Tooting High Street, Wandsworth = 68.75
- Lewisham High Street, Lewisham = 67.93
- The Broadway, Merton = 67.67
- High Street, Enfield = 67.52
- Melton Road, Leicester = 67.22
- Fishponds Road, Bristol, City Of = 66.91
- Ealing Road, Brent = 66.81
- Shirley Road, Southampton = 66.54
- Fore Street, Enfield = 66.26
- Kentish Town Road, Camden = 65.73
- Sydenham Road, Lewisham = 65.28
