Smoking and obesity: which is more dangerous?
According to a new study published on July 8, 2014 by the National Cancer Institute (1) , obesity in its most serious case (BMI greater than 40) would reduce life expectancy by 6 to 14 years. Either consequences sometimes more dramatic than current smoking.
By bringing together the results of 20 different studies, the scientists of the National Cancer Institute demonstrate that morbid obesity “is aptly named” . Indeed, beyond a BMI greater than 40, the consequences on average life expectancy are really significant.
From this study, many parallels have been drawn with smoking.
The principle of imitation
If smoking and obesity could have similar reasons and causes, the health consequences would be much more dramatic in the case of a person suffering from obesity.
Imitation , indeed, could encourage a person to light a first cigarette, during his years in college, high school or university, it is the same for obesity. It may be hard to believe that people consume and eat by imitation, but nothing could be truer. Whether snacking or fast food, food has a mirror effect. Both are immersed in advertisements, television series, meals with friends or family and consume in the same way. Imitation is everywhere and also in the field of food.
Stress and psychological disorders are also an important factor for people suffering from smoking or obesity. Conscious or not, these people could find comfort in tobacco or food to overcome their neuroses or psychological disorders.
Finally, if obesity can have hereditary causes, smoking can also impregnate during the pregnancy of the mother or during childhood in passive smoking if the entourage is a smoker.
These different causes actually show that there is sometimes a close link between smoking and obesity.
Causes followed by effects
There would be no smoke without fire, yet cancers and tumors can be present without smoking. But the ravages of tobacco have many other consequences: whether it is addiction destroying smokers, breathing difficulties, cardiovascular diseases but above all the reduction in life expectancy .
Obesity, on the other hand, not only causes breathing difficulties, cardiovascular diseases and a reduction in life expectancy of 6 to 14 years for people with a BMI greater than 40 , but also joint and rheumatological pain in the ankles, knees, elbows, shoulders, which leads to the reflection that tobacco could be less harmful and less toxic than morbid obesity through overconsumption and overeating.
Finally, according to the study conducted, 30% of people suffer from overweight or obesity, which represents 2.1 billion people. The consequences on life expectancy, again according to the study, would be as follows:
- BMI within the norm: no impact on life expectancy
- BMI between 40 and 44.9: life expectancy reduced by about 6 years
- BMI between 45 and 49.9: life expectancy reduced by about 9 years
- BMI between 50 and 59.9: life expectancy reduced by about 10 years
- BMI between 55 and 59.9: reduced life expectancy of around 14 years
If you want to know what your own Body Mass Index is, then you can go to the BMI test page .
In France, according to the latest ObEpi-Roche 2012 survey , 550,110 French people have a BMI greater than 40 . A number that challenges.
Obesity, smoking: multiple solutions
So, in order to mitigate the effects relating to smoking or obesity, specialists can take charge of the health of these people: tobacco specialists, dieticians, nutritionists. It is also possible to follow a detox or dietary hygiene treatment in order to rebalance your diet and understand the usefulness of physical exercise.
Stephen Paul is the lead author and founder of My Health Sponsor. Holder of a diploma in health and well-being coaching with more than 200 articles in the field of health, he makes it a point of honor to offer advice based on reliable information, based on scientific research, and verified by health professionals.