While I don't agree with everything Chittlins said, i do agree with a lot of it. We, as a country, create most of our own health problems. We are, in general, a very obese country and I believe that is the cause of many of our health issues. Whether it be diabetes or heart disease or the myriad of other issues that come with that. I say that as someone who is currently overweight! I had a health issue 10 years ago that messed up my lungs and I gained 100 pounds. I recently lost 60 pounds but I am not as small as I used to be. According to research, I am "average" clothing size for a woman in the US and going into any Wal Mart that seems ike maybe I am a bit smaller. Anyway, although research shows that I am slightly over average in the UK, I can count the number of people I would say are obese on maybe both hands in 3 trips - and 2 of those I spent extensive time in London. They seem healthier. They walk everywhere. As I do when I am there. They think nothing of a mile or 2 walk to get to a train whereas we here will jump in a car to go 2 blocks. The food portion size there is mostly smaller. And it is REALLY hard to find soda with sugar. Coke, Pepsi, Dr. Pepper... all were sugar free. At McDonald's, you have to pay an extra 15 cents to get Coke classic with sugar. I had far more fast food while there than I have had in a year plus as I was stuck in a hotel and could not cook.
In my area, cigarettes are $5 a pack... over there they were $12 a pack... I actually just started smoking in the last 8 months (don't ask) and it got real expensive to do that there. We make it cheap enough that it is easy to afford for most people. And I am fully aware of the health issues that come from smoking. But at $12 a pack, there is a real pain point. It hurt every time I bought a pack and I will be rethinking that life choice.
We have made poor food and health choices easy and cheap. And I am as guilty as the next.
But another thing I noticed there is people seem to keep themselves together better as they age. If you look on say Tinder here and I restrict myself to the age I am, there is not a single person within 5 years that I would consider dating. I look much younger than I am and usually date girls considerably younger (16-18 years). But there, the people my own age look like girls in that 16-18 year younger than me range. There does not seem to be as much of that middle age spread that happens here. Is it because of food choices or the exercise or ? I don't know. But it seems to be true - even in the small northern towns.
We've made poor life choices easy and cheap and our medical system takes the brunt of it