I have to confess, sometimes my point of view on things gets very provincial when it comes to the U.S. I often think of the U.S. as either the best at things or sometimes the worst — but in reality, I just don’t get around much, I guess.
And a recent health and diet survey I was looking at proves the point once again: Contrary to what I believed, the U.S. apparently isn’t the most gullible nation in the world when it comes to dieting, weight loss, and other nutrition related issues.
The survey said, for example that Brazil is the nation where citizens feel the most pressure to be thin. I suspected, given the anorexic and near-anorexic appearance of so many U.S. celebrities and movie stars that WE would be number one.
And when it comes to diet pills — and who hasn’t hoped to find the ultimate, best weight loss diet pills? — the Chinese lead the world in consumption of diet pills. Some 37 percent of the Chinese admitted to using diet pills; Brazil was second at 30 percent, Russia was at 24 percent, Mexico was at 23 percent, and the U.S. came in fifth at 19 percent.
Of course, all these survey results must be taken with a grain of salt (or perhaps sodium-free salt substitute?) because people are notorious about lying when questioned about health habits. I actually told my doctor the last time he asked me that, yes, I was making a regular effort to roll out of this recliner and do some vigorous walking every day. Ah, well.