Battle of the Bulge: UK versus US

On my recent trip to Scotland I was not surprised to find that there were fewer obese people than in the US. Everyone knows that we Americans are fatter than the rest of the world. What did suprise me was that while there are less obese people there are also less people walking around with chiseled abs and defined biceps. In America we so often see overweight people and uber-fit people walking side by side. They seem to be more moderate on both ends in the UK. In Scotland you don't walk down the street in the morning and see the joggers and power walkers on every corner like you might in the US, but you also don't see obese people stopping at the corner to catch their breath like you might in the US. Maybe part of this is due to how young we are as a country. We're like a teenager on a crash diet. One day we are binging on fatty foods and sweets, the next we are renewing our membership at the gym. For myself, I would prefer to be satisfied with the middle ground. One thing is certain; all our focus on body image doesn't seem to be helping us stay healthy in the US.