The fact is that in 2020, a poll found that over 71% of Americans said their overall health and wellness was good or excellent. Meanwhile, statistics for that same year stated that 1 out of every 3 U.S. adults was obese. Additionally, trends in the leading causes of death between 2015 and 2020 show a yearly increase in heart disease, stroke, and Alzheimer’s disease, just to name a few. So how come everyone says they feel so healthy? 

There are reasons why this health information is so confusing and contradictory. One reason is that some people don’t like to talk about their health and will say anything to end the conversation. 

Other people believe that one aspect of their lifestyle “compensates” for the other aspects of their lifestyle, which, overall, makes them “healthy.” For example, the person who goes to the gym religiously believes it’s perfectly okay to regularly indulge in their favorite fast food meal at lunch. They see the gym as their “lifestyle” and their diet as the “reward.” This thinking allows them to maintain a positive self-image, and answer the survey question we asked above by saying that they are a healthy person.