Recently, United States President Barack Obama has been in “excellent health” according to a routine medical checkup released by the White House.

While he is fit to do his duties for the rest of his term and keeping to a regular exercise regimen, his doctors have advised him to quit smoking and watch his cholesterol, which has gone up since his last checkup.

As the American media and the Obama administration have been open about the President’s health records, what can this country say about the health of Prime Minister Gordon Brown?

For starters, Mr. Brown has lost sight in his left eye because of a secondary school rugby accident which detached his retina.

Since then, friends close to the Prime Minister are concerned that he needs assistance at public events and that he is limited to reading large print.

Then there’s his mental state. Not only are accusations flying around about his bullying personality as Chancellor of the Exchequer and as Prime Minister, but rumours of treatment for depression.

In September, BBC presenter Andrew Marr discussed with Mr. Brown about his private health and asked if he was taking prescription drugs.

The Prime Minister denied any suggestions that he was on those medications and said: “No, I think this is sort of questioning which is all too often entering the lexicon of British politics".

About a hundred complaints were made since Mr. Marr asked the question, with many Labour supporters angry that he would ask something of a private matter.

While it is not officially clear about his mental state, his diet could be questionable. In an interview with Mumsnet, he tweeted that favourite biscuit is “absolutely anything with chocolate in it”. Besides biscuits, Prime Minister Brown is known for his three Kit-Kats a day habit.

Recently, reports surface in the major newspapers, notably The Daily Telegraph that the Prime Minister is cutting his chocolate habit and eating as many as nine bananas a day by orders of his wife, Sarah.

While Brown’s health are matters of concern , Conservative leader David Cameron seeks to take advantage of his youthful visage as he makes the case for new leadership when Britain heads to the polls in May. 

Unlike the Prime Minister, Mr. Cameron doesn’t shy away from the cameras when he goes out for his morning run—rain or shine.

Despite his commitment to stay healthy and jog for the paparazzi, Mr. Cameron has taken cannabis as an Eton pupil, contrary to the “zero-tolerance” policies on drugs by his party.

While the pressures of leading a party hasn’t affected Mr. Cameron as much, the responsibilities of leading a political party were too much for Charles Kennedy, former leader of the Liberal Democrats. In January 2006, he quit his post as he was seeking treatment for alcoholism.

It had been previously reported that his ill-health during crucial debates in Parliament such as the Iraq War were tied to his alcoholism. He had denied the allegations but ITV’s plan to report his rehab visit prompted him to acknowledge the problem for the first time.