WASHINGTON: The anthrax scare has energized millions of Americans to protect themselves from this frightening disease. Some have bought gas masks, and others have obtained antibiotics over the Internet. Some have decided to wash their hands after opening the mail; others open their mail outside their homes. Nevertheless, even considering the death of an elderly Connecticut woman last week, the real threat of anthrax to any individual is incredibly small.

Americans have many remarkable qualities, but playing the odds may not be one of them. In some areas, they are really poor at estimating risk. Even though they are a thousand times more likely to be hit by lightning than win at Powerball, many of them eagerly buy a Powerball ticket thinking they just might be the one.

American behaviour about health also shows that they are ignoring the odds. In some ways, Americans are very health-conscious. They surf the Internet for information about their diseases, and they spend millions of dollars on nonprescription herbs and natural medications. Even though many of these remedies are unproven, Americans exhibit a childlike faith that they will keep them healthy. At the same time, they avoid those actions that science has proved will give them the best shot at a long and healthy life. The scientific method has almost doubled their life span in the past 100 or so years. Why should Americans abandon it now?

A recent finding should catch the attention of anyone truly interested in protecting life and health. By the time Americans reach 50, the number of years they have to live - and the quality of those remaining years - is 80 per cent in their control. Much as Americans find themselves fearful about anthrax, scientific evidence shows that any one of them is more likely to die earlier than necessary from diabetes or cardiovascular disease.

These are the real killer diseases in the US. The number of Americans dying each day from these diseases equals dozens of jumbo jets full of passengers crashing. Yet Americans barely blink an eye at this appalling fact. Most physicians are very discouraged that admonitions to their patients about healthy eating and regular exercise often fall on deaf ears. —Dawn/LAT-WP News Service (c) The Hartford Courant.