The needs of Bradford's African and Afro-Caribbean population must be placed higher on the health agenda, says a new report.

Medical experts claim the minority group is being neglected despite the fact they suffer poorer levels of health.

Called Time for Action, the study was commissioned after the district's Black Health Forum wrote to health chiefs saying their needs were not being met.

Research found that African and Afro-Caribbean people were at greater risk of hypertension, stroke, diabetes, mental illness and obesity. They also have higher levels of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases. The findings were due to be discussed at a conference in Bradford today.

Dr Dee Kyle, former director of public health at Bradford Health Authority, said the report would be an invaluable source of information.

"They constitute around seven per cent of the ethnic minority groups in Bradford, around one per cent of the total population and their health needs have too often been unrecognised," she said.

"Indeed, they feel they have often been overlooked."

There are more than 6,000 people of African and Afro-Caribbean origin in Bradford. But despite national levels of poor health, employment and education, the study found health advice provided by organisations was limited.

The report concludes: "Anecdotal evidence highlighted the low priority afforded to the needs of African and African-Caribbean people in Bradford. This was supported by lack of information and absence of strategies and policies except for sickle cell disease in most organisations."

Recommendations include developing community-based healthy eating programmes, sexual health education and exercise projects.

Extra resources should also be ploughed into schools and training projects to improve employment, it says.

Lavon Harrison, a member of the Bradford Black Health Forum and former nurse manager, said GPs were often unaware of the high rates of diabetes and cardiovascular problems.

"It warms my heart to see at last that there's a concerted effort by health professionals to recognise the problems and take them on board," he said. "We've been lagging behind for some time."

The conference was due to be held at the Midland Hotel, Cheapside, between 10am and 1pm today.