Smoking

Smoking is the number one preventable cause of

death and disease

One quarter of all deaths among 35-84 year olds is

due to smoking
Increase in smoking is related to decreased SES

Smoking
Risk of dying of cardiovascular disease is double

that for non-smokers

Quitting tends to be easier if you are a young light

smoker or an old heavy smoker

There are many therapies on the market that make

it easier to quit

Detail of the Synapse Itself

Neurotransmitter molecules (e.g., Acetylcholine or Dopamine)

Postsynaptic membrane

Axons Which Use Acetylcholine Can Connect to Nerve Cell Bodies Which Use Dopamine
This neuron could use acetylcholine at its synapses

This neuron could use dopamine at its synapses

How binding sites work

Binding site

Nicotine fills & activates acetylcholine binding sites

Alcohol use
About half of all Canadian adults drink once per month
Men drink more than women People drink more with increased SES Binge drinking (more than 5 drinks at one sitting) is seen more in adolescents than adults

Alcohol use
Drinking behaviour is decreased with age Alcohol (ethanol or ethyl alcohol) is a depressant This means is slows down the nervous system (like tranquilizers)

Excessive drinking can effect your liver, stomach, intestinal tract and immune system among other things

Alcohol use
There are actually health benefits to light drinking

Men who drink moderately have lower risk of heart disease Women who drink 3-18 drinks a week have reduced risk of cardiovascular disease
It is though that alcohol promotes the formation of High density lipoproteins (HDL) Red wine is also full of antioxidants

Illicit drug use

Most illicit drugs are not that life threatening compared to tobacco and alcohol related deaths On average 7% of Canadians reported using marijuana in 1995 This number is considerably higher in students and young people

We beat the US, Jamaica and The Netherlands?!!!

Illicit drug use

Hallucinogens (LSD, PCP MDMA) can affect perception emotions and mental processes

This includes euphoria but also fear and anxiety

Large doses can cause convulsions coma and death Cocaine is a stimulant that provides a strong sense of well being and heightened attention It only lasts 15-30 minutes and can cause cardiovascular irregularities

Neurotransmitter re-uptake helps keep binding sites clear

Cocaine inhibits the reuptake of dopamine

Obesity
Obesity: in top 90 global

health problems

Increases with age; measured

by body-mass index (BMI) As BMI , risk of early mortality

Physical, emotional and

economic burden

Premature death from:

hypertension, type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease Depression, bingeing when seeking weight

Obesity
Body Mass index (BMI) = (kg)/(m)2
OR (lb.X700)/in./in Underweight = <18.5 Normal weight = 18.5-24.9 Overweight = 25-29.9 Obesity = BMI of 30 or greater

Obesity in Canada vs. US

More than a third of Americans are obese, compared to about a quarter of Canadians, the Centers for Disease

Control (CDC) has concluded.

In the study of data collected 2007-2009, the US agency attributed a small portion of the difference to the much larger percentage of black and Hispanic people

in the US, since both demographics are more prone to obesity.

When comparing only the non-Hispanic white populations of the two countries, 25.6% of Canadians were obese,

compared with 33% for the US. over the whole population, the figures were 24.1% and 34.4%, respectively.

Biological Factors in Obesity

Heredity Genes contribute to the development of obesity and to substantial variance in BMI Hormones and the brain Food intake & energy expenditure are not wellunderstood Set-point theory body pushes us to our natural target weight using leptin

Psychosocial and Sociocultural Factors in Obesity

Social norms and values can reinforce behaviours that promote obesity

Stress can lead people to eat certain foods, and eat more or less than usual People around us influence eating and activity habits (e.g., wealth, parents) Weight linked to source of hunger and satiety cues (e.g., external or internal)

Internality-externality hypothesis

Prevention and Treatment of Obesity

Prevention through education: 1. Public education campaigns 2. Health care professionals knowing how to treat obese people & facilitate change Treatment is usually required Dieting = most common but weight loss through is usually not maintained Need permanent lifestyle change

Prevention and Treatment of Obesity

Pharmacological treatment
Used to appetite & food consumption Most ineffective, negative side effects

Behavioural treatment
As effective as pharmacological Tx 20-week programs with various strategies

Surgical treatment
Radical method; gastric bypass

Eating Disorders
The prevalence for eating disorders is between 1

and 20 percent (depending on the geographic sample)

In adolescents 95% of sufferers are female

Eating disorders
Bulimia nervosa involves binge eating followed by

purging or vomiting
This can also involve laxative use

This disorder can lead to anemia, inflammation of the GI

tract, heart arrhythmias and erosion of the dental enamel

Eating disorders
Anorexia nervosa is a

disorder characterized by lack of eating and extreme weight loss weight and may exercise excessively eating disorders develop because weight loss is rewarding

Anorexics fear gaining

It has been suggested that

Also the behaviour is

maintained by conditioning to the cues that provided the reward

Biological, cultural and psychological contributions to eating disorders

Twin studies have shown that there may be a genetic

component to this behaviour

Hypothalamic abnormalities have been noted in

anorexics (feeding and thermoregulatory centre)

Social pressure to be thin and look youthful

Biological, cultural and psychological contributions

Puberty in females is associated with weight gain

and widening of the hips Psychological factors include

issues of control

low self esteem

sensitivity to others feelings perfectionism maturity fears distorted body image

Biological, cultural and psychological contributions

Some engage in these eating disorders due to lack of

control in their lives in other areas

Often from families that do not encourage autonomy

and are over demanding

Food intake is a controllable

Biological, cultural and psychological contributions

Some are perfectionist types that must have a perfect

body
Others only see one part of their body which usually

doesnt change even with weight loss (hips or facial roundness)

Eating Disorder Treatment

These disorders can be treated by targeting: The distorted eating behaviour The hypothermia The physical hyperactivity The social consequences