Obesity,+Diabetes,+Smoking+and+Lung+Cancer

For more information, view our website here.

Overview
toc Smoking, obesity, diabetes, and lung cancer are all common health problems. Although many of them have different health effects, they are the same because of one thing: choices. The choices you make can determine whether you end up with diabetes or lung cancer. If you eat t oo much, you will eventually become obese. If you give into peer pressure, you could end up smoking cigarettes. The choices you make determine whether you live a happy healthy life, or are stuck with medical problems for the rest of your life. Making good choices can also help you escape from the bad choices you made before. With this in mind, lets make good choices, one Central student at a time!

Smoking
Smoking causes a mass of problems. Children smoking, health problems , and death are just a few. Already, 20% of the American population smokes and that total is rising each day when about 80,000 people start smoking each day. 4,200 of the new smokers are children. Not only do people start smoking each day, but many people die too. More than three million people die each year from smoking related causes. Lung cancer, emphysema, and heart disease are only a few of the many health effects the 4,000 chemicals in cigarettes can cause, not to mention that it is addicting too (“Cigarette”).

Obesity
There are many causes as to why people become obese. Factors that play into how somebody is obese are

[[image:UGENWebsitepicturesTopStoriesMarch2011March16_2011_23478618_ObeseWomanwTapeMeasure_AmylinTakedaStopObesityTrial2461581372.jpg width="238" height="159" align="right"]]
 the lifestyles they live, the amount of physical activity they participate in, and how much food is taken in. Another factor is the environment they live in. All around us are places to buy unhealthy food that can harm you if you eat too much of it. These foods are so convenient to get, so people with busy lifestyles can easily get a quick meal from a fast food eateries that are found everywhere in the world. Lack of physical activity is a huge problem in the United States. People are very lazy and do not feel like going to fitness centers, or even simply walking somewhere. The reason why people are like this is because technology has allowed them to do so. Phones, television, internet and vehicles have taken away the need to get up and do the task themselves. It’s given people a way to give less effort in doing simple things. These are factors in how somebody becomes obese ("Obesity").

Diabetes
You don’t just get diabetes from not eating healthy, there are many factors to the problem. Another problem could be the body is not making or it’s rejecting the insulin (Board A.D.A.M.). A person with diabetes could be overweight and they also may not do a lot of working out to help control their weight problems. When you have diabetes and take insulin you have a higher chance of getting cancer because the cancer cells target the stressed out liver and pancreas. These organs are stressed out because of the insulin that has to be injected. The insulin is injected t o help break down the sugar in the body ("New").

Lung Cancer
Lung cancer is the most deadly type of cancer. Lung cancer is caused by smoking, asbestos, and pollution. Some symptoms are coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. There are two types of lung cancer: non-small cell and small cell. Non-small cell is the most common type. It grows more slowly than the other type (Board).

[[image:Cigarette-Butt.jpg width="476" height="251" align="right"]]
The most direct way to stop smoking the smoking problems is to get people to quit. Yes, quitting is hard, but it is worth it in the end. By putting together therapy and nicotine replacement techniques, you can conquer the battle against yourself. Don’t fret if you turn back to your cigarettes. Relapsing is alright as long as you pick up right where you started from. Another way to stop smoking is to inform children and teens how bad it is for your health. Some of the dangerous health effects could be heart disease, emphysema, lung cancer, and even death. Informing society will help drop the number of new smokers we get each year. Making healthy choices and not giving into peer pressure can help lead our world to a smoke free world.

Obesity
Obesity is one of those diseases that you can prevent and control. Staying healthy by exercising regularly and eating the recommended portions for you are things you can do every day. If you’re wondering what the right portions for you are, then you can visit myplate.gov. On this site you enter your height, weight, age, and how active you are. This site takes all these factors into consideration and decides how many calories you should have each day, what size portions you should eat, how often you should be exercising, and what you should be getting more of.

Diabetes
There is no real cure for diabetes, but there are ways you can help keep it under control. One way you can keep it in check is by eating healthy and staying away from food that has a lot of sugar in it ("Diabetic"). Another way to keep it in check is to stay active. You don’t have to work out everyday, but by just walking or running you can stay healthy. The last way you can keep your diabetes in check is by taking your insulin. You should also make sure you’re visiting and seeing your doctor for regular check ups ("Living").

Lung Cancer
The Sputum test, MRI scan, and chest x-ray are good ways to check for lung cancer. in non-small cell lung cancer there are five different stages. with stage four being the worst. Small-cell lung cancer has two different types limited and extensive (Board). Prevention of lung cancer includes quitting smoking. Treatment for small-cell lung cancer include cancer killing drugs, chemotherapy, and radiation. Surgery for small-cell lung cancer is not the best option because the disease has already spread. Treatment for non small cell is chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and laser therapy (Board).

**References**
Board, A.D.A.M. Editorial. "Causes, Incidence, and Risk Factors." Diabetes. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 18 Nov. 0000. Web. 14 May 2012. .

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Cigarette smoking." World of Health. Gale, 2007. Gale Student Resources In Context. Web. 19 Mar. 2012.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Diabetic Healthy Resources." Diabetic Healthy Resources. Web. 14 May 2012. <http://www.diabetichealthyresources.com/>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Living with Diabetes." Medication. Web. 14 May 2012. <http://www.diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/medication/>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"New Diabetes-cancer Link." Gale Power Search. June 2005. Web. <http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CA134455836&v=2.1&u=pl7053&it=r&p=GPS&sw=w>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">"Obesity." Encyclopedia of Drugs, Alcohol & Addictive Behavior. Ed. Pamela Korsmeyer and Henry R. Kranzler. 3rd ed. Vol. 3. Detroit: Macmillan Reference USA, 2009. 157-159. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 22 Mar. 2012.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Photograph. Genetic Engeneering & Biotechnology News. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News. Web. 16 May 2012. <http://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/amylin-and-takeda-halt-phase-ii-obesity-trial/81244833/>.

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Photograph. Warehouse Full of Cigarettes Awaits Recycling in N.Y. Earth911.com. Web. 16 May 2012. <http://earth911.com/news/2011/03/08/warehouse-full-of-cigarettes-await-recycling-in-n-y/>.

**External Links**
PubMed Health- Diabetes American Diabetes Association American Cancer Society- Smoking Livestrong- How to Stop Being Obese National Cancer Institute- Lung Cancer American Cancer Society- Stay Healthy