{"id":9751,"date":"2019-06-12T23:57:03","date_gmt":"2019-06-12T23:57:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/prd-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/?p=9751"},"modified":"2024-07-22T18:11:22","modified_gmt":"2024-07-22T18:11:22","slug":"true-or-false-bad-diets-cause-more-deaths-than-smoking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/updates-www.mccdn.io\/vitals\/true-or-false-bad-diets-cause-more-deaths-than-smoking\/","title":{"rendered":"True or false? Bad diets cause more deaths than smoking","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"

ou may have seen the shocking headlines recently: \u201cBad diets kill more than smoking<\/a>.\u201d But could it be true? Is a daily trip to the drive-thru more likely to lead to an early death than a pack-a-day habit?<\/p>\n

Not necessarily, says Jeffrey Hooper, DO<\/a>, obesity medicine specialist at MultiCare Center for Weight Loss and Wellness.<\/p>\n

\u201cNeither one is good for you,\u201d Dr. Hooper says.<\/p>\n

But if you smoke, kicking that habit should be your first goal. When patients here want to improve their overall health, \u201cthe first thing we start with is smoking,\u201d he says. \u201cIn cases where we are trying to do the best for their overall health, that\u2019s the best approach.\u201d<\/p>\n

And yes, he includes vaping in that category. Even with the weight gain that often comes when people stop smoking, it\u2019s still an overall health win to quit.<\/p>\n

So what\u2019s with the headlines? It\u2019s no surprise the studies show bad diets kill more than smoking, simply because worldwide, more people have unhealthy diets than smoke, Dr. Hooper points out.<\/p>\n

The eye-catching\u00a0study, conducted by researchers at the University of Washington, looked at populations in 195 countries.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really hard to compare a healthy diet in a third-world country to a healthy diet in a first-world country,\u201d Hooper says. \u201cIn a third-world country, you\u2019re looking at access to good, clean water and enough food. In first-world countries we\u2019ve got food everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve stopped smoking (or never started), the big three health factors are (1) diet, (2) exercise and (3) sleep, Dr. Hooper says.<\/p>\n

The easiest way to improve your diet may be less about what you eat than what you drink. Cut out sugary sodas and even diet sodas, he says. Carbonated water is fine if you miss the fizz, but make sure it doesn\u2019t have a lot of added sweeteners, whether sugar or artificial.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy goal is to get you as close to plain water as possible,\u201d says Dr. Hooper.<\/p>\n

Although eliminating sugary drinks and diet sodas is one of the \u201clow-hanging fruits\u201d of dietary change, people may find it\u2019s not enough on its own.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you just reduced your chance of developing (type 2) diabetes,\u201d he says. \u201cLittle changes absolutely make a difference and they can be cumulative as you start making them.\u201d<\/p>\n

Reduce your alcohol consumption as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you have a glass of wine every night to unwind, it becomes that thing you turn to,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Instead, aim for an alcoholic beverage once every couple of months or weeks, he says.<\/p>\n

Focus on a largely plant-based diet, high in fiber and low in sugar and processed foods.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat doesn\u2019t mean everyone has to be a vegetarian,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

But be mindful and try to get\u00a0five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Keep an eye on portions. Food tastes good\u00a0and we tend to eat too much of it, particularly when we are busy and stressed. Be mindful of portion control, especially with high-carbohydrate foods,\u00a0and you\u2019ll probably start feeling better overall, Dr. Hooper says.<\/p>\n

And don\u2019t get overwhelmed. Small changes add up.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe call it the 80-20 rule,\u201d he says. \u201cThat means 80 percent of the time try to make healthy food choices.\u201d<\/p>\n

When it comes to exercise, \u201cYou can get it in little pieces and have it accumulate,\u201d Dr. Hooper says. \u201cThere\u2019s every reason to think that will still make a big difference.\u201d<\/p>\n

Take a walk after a meal. Get up and walk down the hall at work. Wear a fitness tracker and keep a count of your daily steps.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you keep an eye on it, you do more,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

The third important health factor is sleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy,\u201d he says. \u201cIf you exercise, you sleep better.\u201d<\/p>\n

Don\u2019t\u00a0let scary headlines put you in a panic and make sudden, drastic changes you can\u2019t maintain.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust because we\u2019re trying to describe how to eat healthy, we\u2019re not trying to poo-poo every fun thing you do,\u201d Dr. Hooper says. \u201cIt\u2019s all about moderation.\u201d<\/p>\n

And if you need help, figuring out where to start, the Center for Weight Loss and Wellness can help.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe offer much more than surgery,\u201d Dr. Hooper says. \u201cWe can help you get on a better lifestyle track and often that\u2019s all you need to do.\u00a0The goal of our program is to make improvements in your health and the best way to do this is to optimize your lifestyle.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

ou may have seen the shocking headlines recently: \u201cBad diets kill more than smoking.\u201d But could it be true? Is a daily trip to the drive-thru more likely to lead to an early death than a pack-a-day habit? Not necessarily, says Jeffrey Hooper, DO, obesity medicine specialist at MultiCare Center for Weight Loss and Wellness. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false,"gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"html"}]},"author":315,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9751","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-weight-loss"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nTrue or false? Bad diets cause more deaths than smoking - MultiCare Vitals<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Improve your health with diet, exercise and sleep. 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