On 18 February 1990, the Observer requested 2,159 grownup Britons how wholesome they thought they have been, rifling by way of the nation’s toilet cabinets, bedrooms and fridges with a wide range of probing questions. They included ‘Do you take tranquillisers, antidepressants or sleeping pills?’, ‘Are you worried about losing your hair?’ and, most chillingly, ‘Describe your teeth.’

The outcomes didn’t make for cheery studying, however the conclusion that ‘living in the wrong part of the country, or among the wrong class, and being the wrong sex, can seriously damage your health’ was greeted with a shock we’d not really feel now. Women reported notably poor well being, have been twice as possible as males to be taking antidepressants, affected by migraines, extreme tiredness, ‘stress at home’ and despair. It prompted the query: ‘Is being female a sickness?’

Being northern, too, was unhealthy information, with Yorkshire and Humberside feeling distinctly off-colour: ‘Worst headaches, highest cholesterol, most depressed.’ Farther north nonetheless, ‘The Scots are toothless; their blood pressure boils and their joints creak.’

Drinkers thought they have been high quality, with teetotallers reporting extra complications, digestive issues and hypertension. Addiction specialist Professor James Edwards was sceptical: this was ‘so at odds with other research that no sensible conclusions can be drawn’. Predictably, Edwards additionally suspected some critical booze underreporting (solely 3% of Britons admitted to being ‘heavy drinkers’), calling the outcomes ‘highly suspect’.

A survey of movie star well being, nonetheless, was surprisingly candid. Kingsley Amis, 67, mentioned he was ‘very overweight’ and did no common train, however protested ‘I go up and down stairs a lot’ and admitted to ingesting greater than 10 models of alcohol a day. Ken Livingstone, 44, confessed to fewer than 4 models usually, however admitted on vacation: ‘I can drink a bottle of wine and half a bottle of spirits a day.’ Meanwhile, morality campaigner Mary Whitehouse, 79, declared herself ‘a healthy bod’: a non-smoker and solely occasional drinker. Did she use various medicines? ‘I eat a lot of salad,’ she mentioned cryptically.