Many People Continue Unhealthy Habits After Disease Diagnosis

The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (6/27, Gormly) reported, “Even when faced with a health scare like a heart attack or stroke, or a life-changing diagnosis like diabetes or cancer, many people continue unhealthy habits with eating, smoking, exercising and the like.” However, these changes can be important. One study “found that smoking after a heart attack significantly decreased life expectancy.” The research, “published in 2010 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that people who quit smoking after their first heart attack were 37 percent less likely to die of another heart attack, compared with those still smoking.”