A recent Gallup poll of 1,000 adults from all 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia has revealed that more Americans believe obesity now outranks cigarette smoking as a national health problem.
Although there s no doubt that obesity is a major public health concern, ACSH staffers are worried that the extensive dangers of smoking have been overshadowed by the recent uproar about the obesity epidemic. As the poll revealed, 40 percent of Americans now say obesity is an extremely serious problem to society, while only 30 percent say the same about cigarettes.
ACSH s Dr. Gilbert Ross is disheartened by these findings. The adverse health effects of smoking are not emphasized as frequently, thanks largely to the media s disproportionate focus on obesity, he says. Public health officials, the media, and educators need to tailor their efforts to increasing awareness of the detrimental health effects of smoking. People should be reminded that there are over 45 million U.S. smokers and that smoking leads to more than 400,000 preventable deaths annually. Contrary to the survey findings, these numbers are actually quite serious.