According to a new study, the U.S. trails behind the U.K. in middle-age health. "Startling new research shows that white, middle-aged Americans -- even those who are rich -- are far less healthy than their peers in England, a finding that flummoxed some experts," says The Associated Press.

"Americans had higher rates of diabetes, heart disease, strokes, lung disease and cancer, findings that held true no matter what income or education level. And that's despite the fact that U.S. health care spending is double what England spends on each of its citizens. 'Everyone should be discussing it: Why isn't the richest country in the world the healthiest country in the world?' asks study co-author Dr. Michael Marmot, an epidemiologist at University College London in England."

Staggering information? Not to many experts who claim it’s not a surprise due to the much talked about obesity problem in the US today. England doesn’t have the obesity history the US has. Yet, given all the fried foods and heavy drinking in the UK, it’s a wonder the gap isn’t smaller between the two countries.