What's worse? Smoking, or Poor Diet and No Exercise?

[thadroe]

My vote is slightly in favor of poor eating habits and lack of exercise, but both being pretty equal.

Thad

[skinnyninja]

I quit smoking a little over a year ago and I am consistently jogging 4 to 6 miles, three times a week.

However, my diet is horrible. I am quite tall and skinny, but I eat mostly red meat, mayonaise, hot pockets, pop tarts, steak, and diet Mt. Dew. I also drink coffee occassionally. Reading Steve's articles on veganism and raw foods and such have me considering a change.

But I did extensive research before I quit smoking, and I try to use the grim statistics to convince my friends to quit smoking. There is conflicting data out there and to some extent it depends on which study you go by.

One such study took into account over ten thousand smokers over a forty year period. It concluded that the average smoker (who continues to smoke and never quits) will die an average of 15 to 20 years early. Other estimates from other studies put that number a bit lower, like 10 to 15 years.

The study also had data that indicated how much you would knock off the early death sentence if you quit, and at various ages. They said that quitting at 60 would almost cut your death sentence in half, on average. Quitting between the ages of 40 and 60 would more than cut it in half, and quitting at 30 or younger showed the same mortality rates as those who had never smoked.

I don't have much knowledge of what poor diet does to mortality rates, but I'm curious as to the difference between poor diet versus poor diet plus obesity. My guess is that one of the biggest reasons for a poor diet being unhealthy is that it leads to obesity which leads to heart problems. At least, this is what I'm hoping because I happen to eat poorly yet I am not obese. Can anyone confirm my thoughts, or am I way off base here?

[thadroe]

Hi skinnyninja,

Major congrats on quitting smoking! I know it's a difficult thing to do as I went through it myself.

The only major research I've seen specifically on this topic is this...

USATODAY.com - Obesity greater health risk than smoking

Also, if you compare rates of chronic problems related to smoking around the world, they are fairly low in societies that eat well and exercise, even though they have high smoking rates. In the US, we have a comaratively low smoking rate, but a higher rate of smoking related problems.

It's just an interesting subject given how smoking is demonized so much, yet other lifestyle habits are treated with less emphasis.

Thad

[CorporateSlave]

This question has been resounding in my mind for over a month now. I knew it'd be much easier to go strictly vegan than to stop my smoking habit. So, two weeks ago I began my diet, with plans to attack the smoking habit later.

So far, so good. Steve addresses many of the pros about switching to the vegan diet/lifestyle. I read The China Study first and did quite a bit of research. So far, so GREAT. Whereas, the smoking still holds me back, I feel better than I have in MANY years. It's a bit odd adjusting (though, I didn't have as bad of a transistional period as I expected). I've also quit drinking caffeine (Redbulls and Cokes) completely unplanned. The extra energy I have from eating whole foods cut out the need for caffeine.

There are many sites which are good to refer to. Make sure you keep a balanced diet and add some extra time for food prepping. Considering I'm sleeping 2-3 hours less than I did before, with MORE energy than with the average diet, I find it's an easy trade off.

Here are the cons I noticed though. During the transistion, I became a bit irregular. It was not a painful irregularity, just odd that I went 2-3 without going (as opposed to everyday). The other con was the excess gas production. It's controllable, but, it's more than I am used to. As a side note, I've went back to a regular schedule, so all is well.

Good luck and keep us updated if you do decide to try it.

[thadroe]

Here are the cons I noticed though. During the transistion, I became a bit irregular. It was not a painful irregularity, just odd that I went 2-3 without going (as opposed to everyday). The other con was the excess gas production. It's controllable, but, it's more than I am used to. As a side note, I've went back to a regular schedule, so all is well.

Hi, I took the same path...changed my diet, then quit smoking shortly after.

You'll probably notice the gas subside as your body gets used to having more fiber on a regular basis....but not entirely. Having some gas is just something to get used to if you are eating a lot of natural foods. It's perfectly normal to have some gas.

Thad

[WanderingOak]

All I know is that my mother smoked 3 packs a day for more than 40 years. Her cardiologist said that it caused extreme hypertention, resulting in peripheral vascular disease (resulting in the loss of her toes) and renal failure. She quit smoking at 62 and died less than a year later. I know she didn't eat right or exercise either, so that could have contributed, but I am inclined to take her doctor's word at face falue.

[julien]

I was pretty unfit too. However, I decided it would change ... I read somewhere that not exercising is as harmful as smoking.

[gr8face]

I guess it depends on your DNA. If there's lots of lung cancer in your family then stop smoking. My parents have been smoking for 40 plus years and God only knows why they don't have cancer. Now if your family is prone to things like diabetes, high blood pressure, etc., I would say your diet is more important--of course doing both is optimal

[joanmhe]

Before I quit smoking, many years ago, I tried to eat well and exercise, but it seemed contradictory, and an uphill battle. After quitting, excercise and fitness was a motivator to staying quit.

[Gautam]

In my usual style of decision making, I would say "Both are equally bad" but then again I can't go my life choosing both sides all the time. So I chose "Poor diet and lack of exercise".

As of now, I have a fairly good diet and no exercise. I'm thin and healthy and I don't exercise because I've recently moved to a new city and I still haven't settled down enough to think about it.

Also, I've been smoking more often than before so I think its bad.

Consider this:
you can be a non-smoker and if you don't eat and exercise well, you're not going to be too good.

you can be a smoker and if you don't eat and exercise well, you're doomed!

you can be a smoker and if you eat and exercise well, well you've got some chance but that smoke is gonna kill you anyway so tough luck!

the ideal situation is to be a non-smoker and eat and exercise well, then you're gonna be doing some good!

[thadroe]

Originally Posted by joanmhe

After quitting, excercise and fitness was a motivator to staying quit.

This is very true...exercising helped soooo much when I quit. It really took the edge off when I was having a tough time.

Thad

[Trina]

Looking at the rate of diabetes versus lung cancer alone, I would go with diet and no exercise.

[Ibanez]

Smoking definitely.

I mean all those additives and other junk. I don't remember the actual literature, but smoking messes everything up.

[thadroe]

It's interesting that the poll results are as close as they are. I kind of figured smoking would be an overwhelming choice by far. Although....this IS a health and fitness section...so many people on here have pretty strong beliefs about the impact of diet and exercise.

Thad

[Ibanez]

Originally Posted by Trina

Looking at the rate of diabetes versus lung cancer alone, I would go with diet and no exercise.

Regardless when you factor in all the other potential side effects of smoking...

Cardiovascular Disease
Lung Cancer and the other cancers - bladder cancer, cancer of the esophagus, cancer of the kidneys, cancer of the pancreas, cervical cancer
Emphysema
Fertility Problems
Aging Faster
Etc.

It's hard to believe that smoking is healthier than poor diet and no exercise

[skinnyninja]

According to this article, smoking has a higher mortality rate than obesity, but obesity is costing the U.S. more money than smoking is.

Of course, the question wasn't specifially about obesity, per se....

[Daniel Ehlke]

I like to make a different point why I think smoking is worse:
Because it harms people (especially non-smokers) who are near you when you smoke.

In Germany, where I live, smoking is allowed almost everywhere where people meet each other (like in restaurants, bars, clubs etc.)
As a nearly-lifetime non-smoker (I smoked about 10 cigarettes in total just to try them out) I don't like that my choices are not to go there or to be poisoned

Besides that I think both smoking and poor diet are equally bad for the person doing this. For the body itself one of them may be worse in the statistics, but for your personal development both lower your awareness massively.

I think no exercise doesn't lower your awareness as much (but it does!).

By the way: I'm a non-smoker with a poor diet and I do no exercise. Plenty room for improvement

[Mitalp]

I'd have to say lack or excercise and poor diet. I've never been a smoker, but I see this with the people around me. I know smokers who are much more healthier than non-smokers, essential for their lack of exercise and poor diet. Smokers are slowly killing their body's, with poor diet your building a poor body. While smoking primarily effects the respitory system, lack of exercise effects the respitory, cardiovascular, muscular basically the whole body. Don't do either!

[Zulu]

"I like to make a different point why I think smoking is worse:
Because it harms people (especially non-smokers) who are near you when you smoke."

I'm in favor of anti-smoking laws (because the burden that smoking puts on our Canadian healthcare system), but there really isn't any convincing evidence that second hand smoking has much of an impact on health.

With that said, the question really depends on how badly you're eating or how much you're smoking. My vote goes to bad eating/sedentary lifestyle.

The impact of smoking has been vastly overrated (at least, so my teacher's tell me in med school) to help convince the public to quit. Statistics can be manipulated any old way.

I also think a lot of smoking hazards can be compensated for with a good diet. Obviously, avoiding smoking AND eating well are primordial to being and feeling healthy.

[sadavis00]

poor diet and exercise lower your quality of life NOW. AND it lowers your lifespan and quality of life later in life. In contrast, there are few bad health effects of smoking in the short term. So I guess you know how I voted.

[Daniel Ehlke]

I changed my opinion that smoking is worse.

Now I think that the question (as an either-or one) is not suitable for the two options given, though it seemed to be an interesting question in the first place (at least to me).

To make an extreme example:
What is worse?
- stealing an expensive car from a stranger or,
- stealing an iPod from someone you know personally?

Do you see what I mean?
Although there might be arguments in favour of the first or the second option, the question itself is flawed, because it polarize the people talking about this.

So my answer is now: For me it doesn't matter, what is worse! Both is bad and I should work on myself to do regular exercises and to improve my diet (I don't smoke).

[Blaine Moore]

I would have split that into three options - which is worse, the smoking, or the poor diet, or the lack of exercise?

I would have to say that the worst thing is the poor diet. Smoking is harmful to your body, but there are certainly more destructive things that you can do to it. Lack of exercise is fine as long as you eat appropriately and don't plan on being very active at any point.

If you do not eat well, though, then you are going to have more problems than if you smoked or didn't exercise. Obviously, combining any two or all three makes things worse exponentially.

This is coming from somebody who has rarely smoked, always eaten well, and is a competitive athlete.

[Mark Lapierre]

Answering a question such as this is a purely academic exercise because all are bad and everyone (well at least everyone who isn't somehow restricted beyond their control, such as people in third world countries) has the choice to not smoke, eat well, and exercise.

Choosing one side implies that I believe the other side is not-so-bad. To me that's unacceptable.

Please note, this is just my opinion and my belief, it's not intended as a criticism of anyone else's replies.

[skinnyninja]

I quit smoking and I exercise. But my diet is poor.

So, in order to feel good about myself, I can see that I am trying to say that smoking is much worse for people.

I am working on my diet. It's hard for me. But the big studies for smokers (tens of thousands of people tracked over 60 years plus) show that smokers die an average of 10 to 15 years early.

Now if a nonsmoker does regular exercise, has a very lean body type, but eats junk food (description of me)--their mortality rate is actually going to be worse than that?!?! C'mon now.

Then again, like I pointed out--I am aware that I'm sort of just defending my position--finding certain studies that support it, etc.