British Families Healthier, Wealthier
By CAROLINE GAMMELL, The Daily Telegraph | April 9, 2008
LONDON — British families are healthier and twice as well off as they were two decades ago but are no happier, according to an official survey.
During the past 35 years, life expectancy has increased significantly for both men and women, while the number of people dying from heart disease and strokes has markedly declined, figures disclosed yesterday.
Household wealth and expenditure also doubled in Britain between 1987 and 2006, the Office for National Statistics said in its Social Trends survey. Yet despite this boost in health and wealth, levels of contentment remain virtually unchanged.
Between 1973 and 2006, people's satisfaction levels have hovered around an average of 86%.
