Couch potato lifestyle is worse for your health than smoking

News.telegraph.co.uk ^ | September 3, 2002 | Celia Hall

[Just another Joe]

Couch potato lifestyle is worse for your health than smoking
By Celia Hall, Medical Editor, in Berlin
(Filed: 03/09/2002)

Poor diet and lack of exercise cause more illness than smoking, new figures show.

The lifestyle of couch potatoes has overtaken smoking as the major cause of ill-health in EU countries for the first time, the World Health Organisation says.

Dr Aileen Robertson told the European Society of Cardiology annual meeting in Berlin yesterday that doctors and governments must take the issue of diet and exercise more seriously.

Telling people to eat more fruit and vegetables and to take exercise did not work if there were no policies to help people change, she said.

"I am not saying that smoking plays no part in ill-health. I am saying that diet is as important and we have to get that through because it is not understood at the moment."

Dr Robertson, a regional adviser for nutrition at the WHO in Copenhagen, said that Japan had the highest rates of smoking in the world but also the lowest rates of heart disease.

She criticised the EU for discouraging farmers from growing the healthiest food. Europe did not produce enough fruit and vegetables for everyone to eat five portions a day, as the WHO recommended.

"In Spain, Greece and Italy they grow a surplus of fruit and vegetables, but millions of tons are destroyed every year to maintain the market price.

"It is possible to produce enough fruit and vegetables for all of Europe to follow the recommendations by spreading the fresh food across the countries, but current policies do not support this."

The WHO study shows that smoking causes nine per cent of all chronic diseases in the EU, while physical inactivity and diet are responsible for 9.7 per cent.

The main conditions caused by bad diet are heart disease, followed by cancer.

"Around 30 to 40 per cent of cancer cases could be prevented through better diet," Dr Robertson said.

"Obesity in adults is up 20 to 30 per cent and is also escalating among children, increasing their future risk of cardiovascular disease."

Dr Robertson gave examples of programmes in Finland which had reduced heart disease by 65 per cent between 1972 and 1994.

They included paying farmers to switch from dairy to berry farming.

Councils were encouraged to include fruit and vegetables in employees' packed lunches.

There were also new food labelling projects and diet guidelines for all food provided in schools, hospitals and places of work.

[Just another Joe]

Even WHO now says that the lifestyle can be more hurtful than smoking.

[Just another Joe]

Take a look, folks.

[Seti 1]

"...governments must take the issue of diet and exercise more seriously."

Since when is the role of government to be a national nanny? One mommy is enough for most of us.

[goodnesswins]

My Uncle smoked for over 55 years....but ate a good diet and was active....(died at 82) I think they are right....although other bad behaviors can be deadly too....like acting homosexual - wonder when they'll pick up on that one?

[ClearCase_guy]

Even WHO now says that the lifestyle can be more hurtful than smoking.

Well, there's two ways they can go on this:

1) Forget that stuff about smoking. It's basically not that dangerous. Second-hand smoke especially. Feel free to indulge.

2) You must exercise! People who do not exercise will be taxed! Neighbors must report neighbors who do not exercise sufficiently! There will be no exceptions!

Mmmmmmm. Wonder which way it's gonna go...

[Just another Joe]

Since when is the role of government to be a national nanny?

I've been asking that question for some time now.

[Just another Joe]

The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
The French eat a lot of fat and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
The Japanese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.
The Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and also suffer fewer heart attacks than the British or Americans.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you

[Pure Country]

This is ignorant. It's like saying, would you rather be run over by a semi or a greyhound bus. Dead is Dead.

[Just another Joe]

Well, there's two ways they can go on this:

I would say that the "Department of Homeland Security" will pick #2.

[Just another Joe]

But we've been told for SOOO many years that smoking is the #1 cause of preventable death.
Guess what? Apparently it's not anymore. At least in the EU.
And did you ever believe that the World Health Organization would be the one to say it?

[sushiman]

Great ! Thanks ! LOL !

[tm22721]

I refuse to listen to any of this nonsense about lack of exercise and fat consumption until they start acknowedging that the major reason for obesity is eating too many of the wrong kinds of carbohydrates.

BUMP

[nothingnew]

No exercise, poor diet, smoking....I'm a walking dead man.

FMCDH

[FairWitness]

Until being ill is outlawed, there will always be a "# 1 cause of illness". Thus the WHO busybodies will never be out of work.

[cmak9]

No exercise, poor diet, smoking....I'm a walking dead man. FMCDH

At least we'll be able to get that gun from you then... ;-)

[Just another Joe]

At least we'll be able to get that gun from you then... ;-)

Watch out for those twitches that come after death.
You know, the ones that cause the trigger finger to contract. ;^)

[RolandBurnam]

ARE THE STATES GOING TO SUE COUCH AND LAZY CHAIR MANUFACTURERS NOW?

[Great Dane]

But of course, they have bled the smokers dry, so they are forced to look for new prey.

[gunshy]

You want a risky lifestyle, try posting negative comments about GWB here on freerepublic. Talk about slings and arrows

[SheLion]

The lifestyle of couch potatoes has overtaken smoking as the major cause of ill-health in EU countries for the first time, the World Health Organization says.

Heh!

I have a complete page about this. Ck it out!

Studies:  Obesity Worse Than Tobacco Smoking

[Publius6961]

This is ignorant. It's like saying, would you rather be run over by a semi or a greyhound bus. Dead is Dead.

Please tell us, I'm dying to know.

How exactly do you plan to live forever?

[SheLion]

How exactly do you plan to live forever?

Exactly!!! The anti-smokers think that they are going to live FOREVER just because they don't smoke. LOL!

When "they" cure death, I might think about quitting smoking....or not

[Max McGarrity]

Dead certainly is dead...and death is 100% guaranteed.

[Great Dane]

If smokers absorb only 9% of the medical system and the obese only 9.7%......... what in the world are all the skinny non-smoking people getting sick from. ????

[Great Dane]

wrong kinds of carbohydrates.

Serious question: what are good carb's. ??

[vikingchick]

No comment from this man

[SheLion]

No comment from this man

OH GOD!

[chnsmok]

When they start taxing couches, I won't worry. My dog ate our couch. True, but do you think the feds will believe me?

[vikingchick]

Caption to your photo:

Reiner shows the audience what he believes to be the perfect size for a triple cheeseburger.

[NEWwoman]

Forgot taxing couches and TV.

[SheLion]

Reiner shows the audience what he believes to be the perfect size for a triple cheeseburger.

[Just another Joe]

Reiner shows the audience what he believes to be the perfect size for a triple cheeseburger.

BWAHAHAHAHA
Oooops, that was the truth, wasn't it?

[Just another Joe]

This is absolutely worthless garbage, because they use defective studies to falsely blame lifestyle for diseases that are really caused by infection.

Thnks you very much, Carol.
It may very well BE garbage but there are a LOT of people in the world that believe it.
If you don't show them that THEIR belief is wrong first you don't have a chance of getting them to listen to ANYTHING else.

[SupplySider]

Great page. My god, can we come up with an excess fat tax for Teddy? I don't want to raise taxes on everyone, only on the "fattest one percent"! :)

[Focault's Pendulum]

No exercise, poor diet, smoking....I'm a walking dead man.

I smoke, drink, fall asleep on the couch on a regular basis, (my TV has learned to turn itself off if the remote drops from my hand) and the only thing remotely resembling a vegetable is my V8 Juice and Vodka at Sunday Brunch.

I actually died five years ago...but can't afford the funeral because the government needs me to pay up on my back taxes....Oh when will they ever let me go!

[vikingchick]

My god, can we come up with an excess fat tax for Teddy? I don't want to raise taxes on everyone, only on the "fattest one percent"! :)

LOL! Good one. Thanks for the laugh. :)

[nothingnew]

I actually died five years ago...but can't afford the funeral because the government needs me to pay up on my back taxes....Oh when will they ever let me go!

Heh heh eh...for me it was 7 years ago, but they won't admit it 'cause they don't want my widowed wife to get my SS$.

I wonder if I can still vote?

FMCDH (I don't have TV...my deceased and petrified body sits at the keyboard/monitor awaiting intelligent life.

[Just another Joe]

Carol, do you believe that lifestyle choices CAN be an added risk to your health?
I'm not saying that many things that you postulate are not true but there ARE other things which can add risk.

[Just another Joe]

You know what, Carol, I've been on this forum for about 18 or 19 months. I've sat by and watched you say this to almost everyone associated with any type of property rights/smokers rights threads.

I don't really care if you think I'm on the other side or not!

You consistently drive away anyone that doesn't agree entirely with YOUR premise.
You almost always claim that they must be on the "other side" because they DON'T agree entirely with YOUR premise.
At this point I don't really care whether you agree, disagree, or abstain entirely.
Infection may cause many things but you will NEVER get people to agree that it causes EVERYTHING.
So give it a rest and don't try to cut people down at the knees that are trying the best way they know how to turn the tide of an anti-smokers ocean.
If you want to HELP then tell the anti-smokers that we debate with constantly on this forum the things that you tell US.

[maxwell]

WELL WELL WELL, whaddya know. Guess the lifestyle gestapo needs to concentrate on a DIFFERENT bunch of sinners, huh.

Of course, then, the smoking couch potatos are, hence, doubly screwed...

Yours Truly runs half marathons in between cartons, however. HOOYAH!

[maxwell]

You consistently drive away anyone that doesn't agree entirely with YOUR premise.

Dude, if you can even SEE a premise in her posts, you are a better man than I...

Personally I think she's whacked. I haven't seen anything yet to convince me that the conclusions drawn above are totally bogus-- does she have inside info that we don't? Of COURSE lifestyle and health are VERY closely correlated. If I didn't run like I do, I'd be a hell of a lot sicker b@st@rd than I already am as far as respiratory infections, cardiac conditions, and whatnot.

[SheLion]

TEDDY? DID YOU SAY "TEDDY?" heh! Talk about Big FAT:

Imagine waking up with THAT in the morning. ~GAG

[maxwell]

I'm a MAAAAAAAAANIAC, I'm a MAAAAAAAAAANIAAAAAAACCCC!!!