It is the largest such survey yet undertaken.
The Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, has appealed to those who received the questionnaires to fill them in. He said it was their chance to have input into health policy. Mr Cowen said proper planning and implementation of effective public health initiatives must be based on an understanding of the public's attitudes to, and awareness of, lifestyle issues. "The survey for the first time gives us a really comprehensive national picture of Irish people's lifestyles and general health."
The survey, called SLAN, Survey of Lifestyle Attitudes and Nutrition, seeks information on a range of key lifestyle factors including exercise, patterns and frequency, smoking habits, alcohol consumption, use of other substances, history of accidents and a comprehensive profile of nutrition habits.
Those surveyed were chosen at random from the electoral register.