WE'RE bombarded with it constantly. Daily, shocking headlines, adverts and politicians telling us our health is a ticking timebomb waiting to go off if we don't sort ourselves out.

Young women think nothing of sinking more alcohol units in one night than recommended for a week, while chaining 20 fags, and getting so paralytic they succumb to the advances of any wanton male and end up with a sexually transmitted infection (STI). Well, that's if we are to believe the hysteria.

But is it hysteria? According to the figures it isn't. Undoubtedly, the much-publicised statistics show childhood and adult obesity is increasing at an alarming rate, as is the number of people contracting STIs.

And many despairing parents of young women would probably be the first to tell you how concerned they are about their daughter's drinking habits.

It is for this reason that the Government recently launched its white paper Choosing Health: Making healthy choices easier.

The idea behind the paper is to find ways to tackle growing problems created by, what we are told, is a lazy and increasingly debauched Britain.

Instead of trying to force us into action, we are being encouraged to "choose" a healthy life-style. But is it that easy?

Tim Davies, public health director for South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust (PCT), is only too aware of how difficult it us to try and turf us off our couches and entice us on to treadmills.

"People are very well informed about how to keep themselves fit and active, that's not the problem," he said.

"It's about changing attitudes and behaviour. People know what they should be doing, that smoking, drinking too much and a lack of exercise is bad for you, but it's changing those habits that's not so easy.

"Making healthy choices can be difficult and it's what this country has never been very good at doing.

"Our lifestyles are so different now, finding time to exercise and go and buy the healthier food is often not the easiest thing in the world.

"It often seems easier to grab something at McDonald's than to cook something healthy.

"Things like poverty and deprivation makes things very difficult too.

"There are many inequalities in our society, which produces inequalities in our health.

"It's much easier for someone on a higher income to choose a healthy lifestyle than it is for someone who is poor.

"Without equality, it makes it very difficult to do anything about making people healthier, and that's not something the health sector can tackle on its own, it takes society working together to try and stop the inequalities."

But plenty is being done in Worcestershire to try and encourage us to be healthier, he added.

"We have to start sending out the healthy message at the earliest age possible," he said.

"Eating habits literally live with you and are hard to change, once you've got into a bad routine it's extremely difficult to break."

That's why healthy eating schemes have been initiated in many of the county's schools, ridding lunchtime menus of stodgy chips and fattening cakes, replacing them with salads, jacket potatoes and sugar-free deserts.

"Little things like free fruit for every infant school pupil does have a significant impact," said Mr Davies. "It has a knock-on effect by then encouraging children to continue eating fruit as they get older, and it gets families buying more fruit if children are coming home and asking for it.

"There's no doubt more work needs to be done though. We want to work with schools to encourage more healthy options to be put in tuck shops and vending machines."

Smoking is also high on the PCT's agenda. Scores of quit smoking groups are littered across the county and the Worcestershire Smoking Advice Service has seen more than 1,000 county residents stub out the habit over the last year.

With the Republic of Ireland introducing a total smoking ban in public places, hot on the heels of forward-thinking America's New York, the subject has been a topic of hot debate.

"It would be interesting to hear what people in Worcestershire think about the introduction of a smoking ban in public places," said Mike Ridley, chief executive of the PCT.

"It's almost like a moral dilemma. The Government has clearly said a total public ban is not likely, but whether it's something people want here is another matter."

Peter Hill, leader of Smoke Free Worcestershire, is clear what he wants to see happen in the county.

The organisation is currently working with the fire service and local government, instilling the benefits of creating smoke-free homes and workplaces.

He said: "Forty per cent of fire deaths are related to smoking. If you quit, you make your home a safer place. Life improves for everyone, it is a very positive message.

"Going smoke-free in the workplace will also come, but should not be seen as a ban, rather as a fresh approach supported by a majority.

"Everyone values freedom of choice, but all the evidence suggests that creating smoke-free workplaces is in the public interest.

"It is important for overall freedom that people should remain free to smoke in certain places, if that is their choice.

"But in the future there will be limits on where smokers can smoke, and plenty of support for those who want to quit. Once again it is a very positive message.

"The signal in the recent Government White Paper is to take more responsibility for your own health and fitness. It is all about common sense - and beating the smoking habit is one way of taking responsibility for your own life and well-being."

So the message seems to be clear. A million and one initiatives to help us may never be enough. Maybe it's not just smoking we should be quitting? Is it time we quit blaming others for our bad habits and take a look in the mirror?

Boots in Worcester's High Street is due to hold a quit smoking day on Tuesday, January 4, from 1pm to 5pm, where smokers who want to ditch the habit can have a free consultation with a clinical nurse specialist. Call 01905 760222 for more information.