Here in the UK, we keep being told that we are getting fatter as a nation, and that more and more people are now falling into the mobidly obese class. I know that this is hapopening in the US too, and on the whole, our two countries seem to be in a class of their own for this.

However, whillst out walking the other day (if you walk long distances, you have an awful lot of time to think things over and philosophize!) it occurred to me that overall, people looking after themselves is UP...

It seems to me that whilst there is a definite trend towards the bottom of the health scale, with more and more people simply eating what they like, never exercising, and then expecting health professionals to fix their ills, at the top end of the scale more and more people are exercising (gyms seem more popular than ever before), taking some care in their diet, and being proactive towards their health and well being. It's the middle ground that seems to be shrinking, where people are neither one way nor the other.

Anyone else agree with this as a perception, or am I completely wrong?

I definitely feel like talk about nutrition and being physically active is more prominent currently then it has been in the past. And I have also been hearing about how restaurants and food items in stores are going to have calories more widely visible so people will be even more aware of what they are putting in their bodies. I think this is all great!

Do you feel peoples' attitudes to health in general is polarizing to the extremes more, making that middle ground smaller though?

Yes I see that... especially on TV a lot more. But I also feel like that just because people are being more aware, doesn't mean they are actually taking any actions to help themselves... I feel like people are more knowledgeable about the bad choices they are making, but then they continue to make the same choices.