Picture this: Two very fat men enter an ice cream shop. They sit down and order two giant sundaes. After enjoying their rich desserts, they go to a health club and have a good workout. They're trying to work off all those calories they ate. Who would be so silly? Some Americans would. When it comes to health and fitness, Americans have mixed emotions. On the one hand, they are concerned about their health. On the other, they have some very unhealthy habits.  

    想象一下這個景象：兩個大胖子進入一家冰淇淋店，他們坐下來點了兩客大圣代。吃完高熱量的甜點后，再去一家健身俱樂部好好地運動一番，想把吃進去的熱量消耗掉。誰會這幺傻呢？有些美國人就是這幺傻。談到健康與健美，美國人有矛盾的情結，他們一方面關心自己的健康，另一方面又有一些很不健康的習慣。  

    Americans know the benefits of having a healthy diet. In school, children learn to eat a variety of healthy foods. People grow up aware of the value of counting calories. They hear about the health dangers of chemicals added to packaged food. They realize they shouldn't eat too many sweets or fats. Many American consumers read labels carefully for nutrition information. That way they can compare products and eat the best foods.  

    美國人知道健康飲食的好處。孩子們在學校里學著吃各種健康食物。人們從小到大也非常注意計算食物的熱量。他們聽說了現成食品中所添加的化學物質會損害健康；也了解不該吃太多的甜食或富含油脂的食物。很多美國消費者仔細地研讀卷標上的營養成份，以便能夠比較產品而吃到最好的食物。  

    Keeping fit--or maybe getting in shape--is often high on the list of New Year's resolutions for Americans. In the past two decades, fitness has become a fad. Many Americans have joined health clubs to work out with professional equipment. Sports stores sell athletic shoes and clothing for every possible exercise situation. People can even buy weights and equipment and set up their own exercise center at home!  

    保持健美——或者保持勻稱的身材——通常是美國人新年新計劃中高居前面的一項。過去20年來，健美已蔚為風尚。很多美國人加入健身俱樂部，使用專業的設備做運動。運動商品店里售有各種運動項目所需的運動鞋和服裝。人們甚至買啞鈴和訓練的設備，在家里設置專屬的運動中心！  

    Statistics give health experts good reason to be disappointed. Americans exercise less than they used to. The number of people taking part in fitness activities dropped from 41.7 million in 1991 to only 32 million in 1993. Among high school students, only 37 percent exercise three times per week. However, 70 percent of teenagers watch at least an hour of TV every day, and 38 percent watch over three hours. As a result, the average American gained eight pounds during the 1980's. At least one-third of Americans weigh 20 percent more than their ideal weight.  

    統計資料令健康專家們感到失望，美國人已不再像從前那么常運動了。參與健身活動的人數，從一九九一年的4，170萬人到一九九三年已降為3，200萬人；在高中生當中，只有37%的學生一星期運動三次，然而，卻有70%的青少年每天至少看一個小時的電視，有38%則看超過三個小時。結果在1980年代，美國人的平均體重增加了八磅，至少有三分之一的美國人比理想體重超重20%。  

    Still, by many standards, Americans enjoy good health. Medical care in the United States, while expensive, is among the best in the world. The U.S. Government requires strict food inspections to ensure that food is of the highest quality. Food producers must label products accurately. Many resources, such as magazines, TV programs and even the Internet, allow people to find out how to improve their health. Americans know how to make themselves more healthy. They just need to do it. 

    不過從很多的標準來看，美國人仍然擁有健康。美國的醫療照顧雖然昂貴，但卻是全世界最好的。美國政府要求嚴格的食品檢驗，以確保最佳的食物品質。食品制造者必須在產品上貼上精確的卷標。很多信息來源如雜志、電視節目、甚至網際網絡都提供人們增進健康的方法。美國人知道如何讓自己更健康，然而他們只需要實際行動。