People know smoking and obesity are detrimental, but right now, they probably feel fine. Moreover, that is the problem; diseases often take a long time to develop. Smoking puts you on the path to lung cancer and more. Obesity is the gateway to chronic illnesses.
Lung Cancer is Leading Cause of Cancer Deaths
Smoking causes 87% of lung cancer deaths according to the National Cancer Institute. Smoking also leads to other cancers like esophageal, bladder and pancreatic. It contributes to heart disease. It is the main cause of emphysema. It is a serious, debilitating, life-threatening habit. So why do people smoke? They are addicted.
The survival rate for lung cancer after diagnosis (after symptoms appear) is dismal. Ninety-five percent of victims die within five years. Symptoms include coughing, coughing up blood, shortness of breath, dull chest pain, wheezing and repeated bronchitis. Furthermore, smokers produce carcinogenic secondhand smoke. A June 2006 review of 14 studies by the California Office of Environmental Health found that risk of breast cancer in premenopausal women increases by at least 70% upon exposure to secondhand smoke.
Obesity Leads to Chronic Illnesses
Being obese is a risk factor for diabetes, heart disease, and cancer. Use the body mass index (BMI) here, to find out your status. According to the April 2007 issue of Fitness magazine, if your waist measurement is over 34 inches for women (over 39 inches for men), your risk of diabetes increases by a whopping 330%, even if your weight is normal. That abdominal (visceral) fat is the unhealthiest – but the easiest type of fat to lose with diet and exercise – says Barbara Corkey, Ph. D., director of the Obesity Research Center at Boston University (2007).
Another important body measurement is waist-to-hip ratio. Figure by dividing your waist measurement by your hip measurement. A result greater than .85 is a heart disease risk for women and more than .9 is a risk for men. A research study called Interheart, appearing in the July 2007 Environmental Nutrition Newsletter, involving 27,000 people from 52 countries, found that the ratio of waist-to-hip is the best predictor of heart attack risk.
The National Cancer Institute Web site reports that in the USA, 20% of cancer deaths for women – 14% for men – are due to obesity. As reported in the December 2007 Nutrition Action Health Newsletter, Dr. Walter Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health, states that after not smoking, “… the single most important thing you can do to prevent cancer is to keep your weight under control.”
Down with Smoking and Obesity
You have the power to stop the two worst habits – smoking and obesity – that may be ruining your life. Stop smoking now, and to combat obesity, start a healthy lifestyle with nutritional, non-fattening food and daily exercise. Live life to the fullest; be smoke-free, eat well and get moving.
This is an educational article only. Always ask you physician about exercise risks, and request more information on how to save your life.
Reference
“Freedom from Smoking Online.” American Lung Association, accessed June 1, 2009.
“How to Prevent Overweight Kids.” Suite 101, accessed May 30, 2009.
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