LI Celebrity Alert: Denise Lewis and Rachel Hunter

The Brits are at it again. Three million Britons are suffering from "imaginary" food intolerances, according to researchers.

An article at ThisIsLondon.co.uk reports that up to 12 million Brits - that's 20% of the population - claims to have a food intolerance of some sort. It's not even clear whether they mean they have allergies or true intolerances; apparently they're using the terms interchangeably. But what can you expect when:

One in 50 of the 1,500 men and women polled in a survey on food intolerances decided they suffered from an intolerance on hearing a friend's diagnosis.

No such article is complete without quoting celebrities for their views. Fortunately, we get a fairly intelligent set of quotes.

Olympic gold medalist Denise Lewis mistakenly tried self-diagnosis as she attempted to find the cause of the stomach problems that had plagued her for years.

"I've suffered from irritable bowel syndrome-related symptoms for 13 years and these have affected my performance on and off the track," she said.

"I was often guessing what could be wrong with me and eliminating a range of foods I thought could be the problem."

However, she discovered what the problem was after taking a food intolerance test.

"I found out I was intolerant to cow's milk, egg yolk and garlic.

"Since reducing these from my diet, I've not suffered my usual bloating and stomach cramps, have more energy and feel brighter and lighter.

She's not alone.

Research by Norwich Union Healthcare found that 19 per cent believe they have a gluten intolerance, such as that suffered by TV presenter Carol Vorderman, while 18 per cent claim a lactose intolerance like that of Rod Stewart's ex-wife Rachel Hunter.

That's right. "Stacey's Mom" is LI.