Research

Heart attacks linked to lack of exercise, smoking, more than stress
New research suggests that smoking and lack of exercise increase the likelihood of experiencing a heart attack more that stress. Nearly 200,000 people from seven European countries participated in a study that analyzed job strain in employees with no previous history of coronary heart disease (CHD). Job strain was found to be associated with a higher risk of experiencing a heart attack. A balanced diet, regular exercise, and quitting smoking will help reduce the risk of developing CHD, especially when working in a high-stress job. Click here to read more about this study published in The Lancet. Click here to read the study abstract.

Long-term study of cigarette and water pipe tobacco smoking shows knowledge gap in perceived health risks
Dual users of cigarettes and water pipes are reported as having a low perception of the dangers of water pipe tobacco. A novel study conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University assessed trends in cigarette and water pipe use, perceptions, and norms from 2006-2011. The data indicate that dual smokers have an increased exposure to nicotine, and about 10% of smokers are also water pipe smokers. Water pipe smoking increased in popularity among college students during the study period. Dual smokers also reported being more susceptible to the influences of their peers and perceived the probability of addiction to water pipes as being relatively low. Misperceptions of how water pipes impact one’s health are evidence that increased education of these risks is needed among young adults. Click here to read more about this study published in the Journal of American College Health. Click here to read the study abstract.

Secondhand smoke linked to memory problems
A recent study published in Addiction examined the everyday cognitive implications of secondhand smoke exposure by comparing a group of smokers with two nonsmoker groups. One nonsmoker group had been exposed to smoke at home or in a “smoking area,” and the other group of nonsmokers had no secondhand smoke exposure. Exposure was defined as 25 hours in a week for an average of about four and half years, and the unexposed group had no regular exposure to secondhand smoke. All groups took a time-based memory test and an event- based recall activity. Nonsmokers with secondhand smoke exposure forgot 20% more in the memory test compared to the completely smoke-free group. Smokers performed the worst out of the three groups. This study provides evidence that future research needs to be conducted to examine the association between secondhand smoke exposure and memory function. Click here to read more about this study. Click here to access the study abstract.

top

Back to Table of Contents