A study of 204 Welsh mothers using well validated research methods has demonstrated that better understanding of the antecedents to health behaviours contributes to a reorientation of stereotyped ideas about working class health beliefs and behaviour. Fatalism and an orientation to life-style choices for health are not necessarily contradictory concepts and this has important implications for those who are involved in education for health. The development of a Salience of Lifestyle Index (SLI) is described and studied in relation to concepts of blame for illness, education, house tenure, religious commitment, employment, health behaviours and social background.