Hardly a day passes that you don't see walkers, joggers, or bicyclists on the road. Blood pressure machines crop up in airports and shopping malls. Legislation has banned smoking on many airplane flights, in public buildings, and at work sites. Alcohol consumption is steadily declining by about 2 percent a year. Television commercials tout foods that are low in sodium and fat and high in healthful substances like fiber.
Medical reports make headlines in newspapers, in magazines, and on the nightly news.
Conversation at social gatherings frequently turns to health. And in bookstores, shelf upon shelf is stocked with self-help health titles. In light of this unprecedented explosion of health information, we asked family, friends, and colleagues how they keep informed about health. All remarked that in some ways, there's almost too much information to assimilate. For most, their days are so jam-packed with family and work obligations that they don't have nearly enough time to read and digest all the information generated.