想象一下这个景象：两个大胖子进入一家冰淇淋店，他们坐下来点了两客大圣代。吃完高热量的甜点后，再去一家健身俱乐部好好地运动一番，想把吃进去的热量消耗掉。谁会这幺傻呢？有些美国人就是这幺傻。谈到健康与健美，美国人有矛盾的情结，他们一方面关心自己的健康，另一方面又有一些很不健康的习惯。

      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.

      美国人知道健康饮食的好处。孩子们在学校里学着吃各种健康食物。人们从小到大也非常注意计算食物的热量。他们听说了现成食品中所添加的化学物质会损害健康；也了解不该吃太多的甜食或富含油脂的食物。很多美国消费者仔细地研读卷标上的营养成份，以便能够比较产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——或者保持匀称的身材——通常是美国人新年新计划中高居前面的一项。过去20年来，健美已蔚为风尚。很多美国人加入健身俱乐部，使用专业的设备做运动。运动商品店里售有各种运动项目所需的运动鞋和服装。人们甚至买哑铃和训练的设备，在家里设置专属的运动中心！

      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.

      统计资料令健康专家们感到失望，美国人已不再像从前那么常运动了。参与健身活动的人数，从一九九一年的4，170万人到一九九三年已降为3，200万人；在高中生当中，只有37%的学生一星期运动三次，然而，却有70%的青少年每天至少看一个小时的电视，有38%则看超过三个小时。结果在1980年代，美国人的平均体重增加了八磅，至少有三分之一的美国人比理想体重超重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.

      不过从很多的标准来看，美国人仍然拥有健康。美国的医疗照顾虽然昂贵，但却是全世界最好的。美国政府要求严格的食品检验，以确保最佳的食物品质。食品制造者必须在产品上贴上精确的卷标。很多信息来源如杂志、电视节目、甚至网际网络都提供人们增进健康的方法。美国人知道如何让自己更健康，然而他们只需要实际行动。