According to the World Health Organisation, John Hamilton should be dead. At the age of 56, the self-confessed lifelong alcoholic is the exception to figures it published yesterday that showed the average life expectancy for a male living in the Calton area of Glasgow is just 54.

Perhaps he was too weary to care, but Mr Hamilton, who consumes up to 6 litres of cider daily, was unfazed by the disadvantage conferred upon him by his address.

“Low life expectancy does not worry me,” he said. “In my life I have had two or three partners and I have always taken a drink. It has had no adverse effect, apart from on my skills at the pool table.”

Mr Hamilton is not receiving any treatment for his addiction and nor does he think he needs it.

“That is my treatment,” he said, gesturing towards a plastic bag containing a bottle of vodka on the pub counter. “I will drink that then go to the pub tonight.”

Yesterday's report, which took three years to compile, concluded that social factors, rather than genetics, are responsible for the huge variations in health and life expectancy found around the world.

The report chose Glasgow to highlight inequities that can exist side-by-side, comparing deprived Calton to affluent Lenzie, about eight miles away, where males can look forward to an extra 28 years, reaching an average age of 82.

Community leaders in the Calton ward said that the report reflected the deep-rooted social problems that blight the area.

“In Abercromby Street, where my practice is, the average male life expectancy is about 53 years old,” said Robert Jamieson, who has been a GP locally for 21 years. “There is a high incidence of mental illness like depression, which leads to a number of organic problems. It's not surprising that we see more cases of heart disease, stroke, diabetes, asthma and bronchitis than areas like Lenzie.”

Dr Jamieson said the difficulties were caused by a complex set of factors, including poverty. “One of the postal sectors here has the lowest income in the UK,” he said. “That means people have less money to spend on basics like food, clothes and travel to work. This is made worse by other social problems like poor housing and community safety.

“The area also has serious problems with gang and knife culture, and of course drug and alcohol abuse, which are colossal contributors to early death.”

Monsignor Peter Smith, priest at the local Roman Catholic church, St Mary's, blamed the scourge of drug addiction in large part for the WHO figures, but pointed out that there were also many happy and healthy residents in Calton.

“I don't think it is as clear an issue as it seems,” he said. “What you are seeing here is a manifestation of very severe social problems, like drug addiction, which sadly takes away young people at a very early age. Many people feel they can better themselves by moving out of the area, so that affects the figures too.”

“These are diverse problems - it is not like the wind blowing off Glasgow Green makes you ill.”

Back in the Calton Bar, Mr Hamilton defended his community. “I like living here. I enjoy the people and the company. It has not killed me yet,” he said.

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