Behavioral Causes of Preventable Death

Source: Journal of the American Medical Association

Lifestyle choices or modifiable, behaviors are major causes of mortality in the United States. A lifestyle choice or modifiable behavior is something that a person has some control over whether or not he or she will do that behavior.
In 2000 well over a third of all deaths in the United States could be attributed to a limited number of largely preventable behaviors and exposures including smoking, poor diet and physical inactivity and alcohol consumption.

Changing these modifiable behaviors can increase a person's life expectancy or longevity and prevent early deaths.

1. Tobacco Use (Smoking)
Tobacco use (smoking) resulted in 435,000 deaths or 18.1% of the total deaths.

2. Poor Diet and Physical Inactivity
Poor diet and physical inactivity lead to 365,000 deaths or 15.2% of the total deaths.
This is a corrected value from the often cited originally published and later corrected, incorrect values of 400,000 and 16.6%.

3. Alcohol Consumption
Alcohol consumption resulted in 85,000 deaths or 3.5% of the total deaths.

4. Microbial Agents
Microbial agents resulted in 75,000 deaths or 3.1% of the total deaths.

5. Toxic Agents
Toxic agents resulted in 55,000 deaths or 2.3% of the total deaths.

6. Motor Vehicle Crashes
Motor vehicle crashes resulted in 43,000 deaths or 1.8% of the total deaths.

7. Incidents Involving Firearms
Incidents involving firearms resulted in 29,000 deaths or 1.2% of the total.

8. Sexual behaviors
Sexual behaviors resulted in 20,000 deaths or 0.8% of the total.

9. Illicit Use of Drugs
Illicit use of drugs resulted in 17,000 deaths or 0.7% of the total deaths.

...

Health Risks of Exclusive Pipe Smoking

Source: Journal of the National Cancer Institute

Exclusive pipe smoking confers a risk of tobacco-associated disease similar to that of cigar smoking but less than that of cigarette smoking, according to the results of a prospective cohort trial published in the June 2 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

Although many studies have examined the adverse health effects of pipe smoking combined with other forms of tobcco use, few have included large numbers of exclusive pipe smokers," write S. Jane Henley, from the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, Georgia, and colleagues. "The prevalence of pipe smoking has declined since the 1960s, yet usage is still common regionally, especially among older populations."
Previous studies of exclusive pipe smoking were small and could not exclude potential confounding factors, such as socioeconomic status and alcohol use. Pipe tobacco is the least commonly used tobacco product in the U.S., with overall use decreasing from 14% in 1965 to 2% in 1991. However, pipe smoking remains common among the American Indians and some other populations, and it has been increasing among American middle and high school students since 1999.

Of 138,307 men enrolled in the Cancer Prevention Study II, 15,263 men were current or former pipe users, and 123,044 men had never used tobacco. During the 18-year follow-up, there were 23,589 deaths. Based on this mortality data, the investigators compared the risks of death from nine cancers (bladder, colon/rectum, esophagus, kidney, larynx, lung, oropharynx, pancreas, and stomach) and three other diseases (coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) in exclusive pipe smokers with mortality risks in nonsmokers.

Compared with never use of tobacco, current pipe smoking was associated with an increased risk of death from cancers of the lung (relative risk [RR], 5.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.16 - 6.01), oropharynx (RR, 3.90; 95% CI, 2.15 - 7.08), esophagus (RR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.51 - 3.95), colorectum (RR, 1.41; 95% CI, 1.15 - 1.73), pancreas (RR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.24 - 2.09), and larynx (RR, 13.1; 95% CI, 5.2 - 33.1), and from coronary heart disease (RR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.18 - 1.43), cerebrovascular disease (RR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.09 - 1.48), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (RR, 2.98; 95% CI, 2.17 - 4.11).

Risks associated with pipe smoking were smaller than those associated with cigarette smoking but similar to those associated with cigar smoking.
Factors associated with increased relative risk of lung cancer were number of pipes smoked per day, years of smoking, and depth of inhalation, whereas increased number of years since quitting was associated with decreased risk.
A study limitation was that smoking habits were reported only at baseline.
"All tobacco products cause excessive morbidity and mortality," the authors write. "Comprehensively documenting the deleterious health effects of pipe smoking is important in countering efforts by the tobacco industry to promote pipes as a desirable alternative to cigarettes or cigars."

Here is some more information on the subject written by a pipe-smoker and not by a doctor. "It is intended to provide information which might be helpful to pipe-smokers who, like myself, wish to continue to smoke, but who want to do as much as they can to avoid getting a pipe-smoking related illness."

...

The Priesthood of Believers

1 Peter 2:5-10
5: Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6: Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7: Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8: And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10: Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

Old Testament priests were chosen by God, not self-appointed; and they were chosen for a purpose: to serve God with their lives by offering up sacrifices. The priesthood served as a picture or "type" of the coming ministry of Jesus Christ--a picture that was then no longer needed once His sacrifice on the cross was completed. When the thick temple veil that covered the doorway to the Holy of Holies was torn in two by God at the time of Christ's death, God was indicating that the Old Testament priesthood was no longer necessary. Now people could come directly to God through the great High Priest, Jesus Christ. There are now no earthly mediators between God and man as existed in the Old Testament priesthood.

Christ our High Priest has made one sacrifice for sin for all time, and there is no more sacrifice for sin that can be made. But as priests once offered other kinds of sacrifices in the temple, so it is clear from the passage above that God has chosen Christians "to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." The passage speaks of two aspects of the priesthood of the believer.

The first is that believers are privileged. To be chosen by God to be a priest was a privilege. All believers have been chosen by God: a "chosen generation...His own special people" (verse 9). In the Old Testament tabernacle and temple, there were places where only the priests could go. Into the Holy of Holies, behind a thick veil, only the High Priest could go, and that only once a year on the Day of Atonement when he made a sin offering on behalf of all of the people. But as mentioned above, because of Jesus' death upon the cross of Calvary, all believers now have direct access to the throne of God through Jesus Christ our great High Priest. What a privilege to be able to access the very throne of God directly, not through any earthly priest. When Christ returns and the New Jerusalem comes to earth, believers will see God face-to-face and will serve Him there. Again, what a privilege especially for us who were once "not a people" ... "without hope" ... destined for destruction because of our sin.

The second aspect of the believer's priesthood is that we are chosen for a purpose: to offer up spiritual sacrifices, and to proclaim the praises of Him who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. Thus, by both life and by word, our purpose is to serve God. As the believer's body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, so God has called us to serve Him from our hearts by first of all offering our lives as living sacrifices. One day we will be serving God in eternity, but not in any temple, for "the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple". As the Old Testament priesthood was to be free of defilement, as symbolized by being ceremonially clean, so has Christ made us holy positionally before the Father. He calls on us to live holy lives that we might also be a "holy priesthood".

Charles Spurgeon said it this way...
All of you, who are in Christ Jesus, are the living stones in this spiritual temple; and you are also priests, who offer up spiritual sacrifices. You need no material temple, for you are yourselves the temple. You need no other priest save the great High Priest who has gone into the heavenly, for you are yourselves priests unto the Most High God.

...

Should we drink wine and strong drink?

Just as priests under the Old Covenant abstained from wine and strong drink in the tabernacle of God (as God instructed), it would seem that the priests under the New Covenant should abstain from wine and strong drink in the temple of God (thereby glorifying God in your body).

Let me explain. A passage often used to show that we may drink wine and strong drink is found in Deuteronomy 14 where the people in Old Testament Israel were told...

Deuteronomy 14:22-26
22: Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. 23: And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always. 24: And if the way be too long for thee, so that thou art not able to carry it; or if the place be too far from thee, which the LORD thy God shall choose to set his name there, when the LORD thy God hath blessed thee: 25: Then shalt thou turn it into money, and bind up the money in thine hand, and shalt go unto the place which the LORD thy God shall choose: 26: And thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after, for oxen, or for sheep, or for wine, or for strong drink, or for whatsoever thy soul desireth: and thou shalt eat there before the LORD thy God, and thou shalt rejoice, thou, and thine household,

This says that the people in Old Testament Israel were allowed to drink wine and strong drink. However, these people were also told...

Deutoronomy 21:15-17
15: If a man have two wives, one beloved, and another hated, and they have born him children, both the beloved and the hated; and if the firstborn son be hers that was hated: 16: Then it shall be, when he maketh his sons to inherit that which he hath, that he may not make the son of the beloved firstborn before the son of the hated, which is indeed the firstborn: 17: But he shall acknowledge the son of the hated for the firstborn, by giving him a double portion of all that he hath: for he is the beginning of his strength; the right of the firstborn is his.

This says that the people in Old Testament Israel were allowed to have multiple wives but they were to give the double portion to the firstborn son, regardless of which wife is his mother. And they were told...

Deutoronomy 21:10-14
10: When thou goest forth to war against thine enemies, and the LORD thy God hath delivered them into thine hands, and thou hast taken them captive, 11: And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife; 12: Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails; 13: And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife. 14: And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her.

This says that people in Old Testament Israel were allowed to take a wife from among their captives and divorce her if she does not delight them. And they were told...

Deutoronomy 24:1
1: When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house.

This says that people in Old Testament Israel were allowed to divorce their wife if she finds no favour in their eyes, as long as she is given a letter of divorcement. In contrast, Jesus said...

Matthew 19:4-6
4: And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 5: And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 6: Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.

Why were the people in Old Testament Israel allowed to do something that Jesus forbids? We are told...

Matthew 19:7-8
7: They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 8: He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.

There are two main reasons that we should not use the ceremonial law in Old Testament Israel as the ultimate guide for our actions. One reason is that the people in Old Testament Israel were allowed to do some things because of the hardness of their hearts and not because it was God's original design.

The second reason is that we should not relate with the Israelites in Old Testament Israel. Rather, we should relate with the priests in Old Testament Israel. Under the New Covenant...

1 Peter 2:5-9
5: Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. 6: Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. 7: Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner, 8: And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed. 9: But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

Whereas the people in Old Testament Israel were allowed to drink wine and strong drink, the priests were not allowed to drink in the tabernacle...

Leviticus 10:8-10
8: And the LORD spake unto Aaron, saying, 9: Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations: 10: And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;

Under the New Covenant, we are priests and our bodies are the temple of God...

1 Corinthians 3:16-17
16: Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? 17: If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20
19: What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? 20: For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.

Just as priests under the Old Covenant abstained from wine and strong drink in the tabernacle of God (as God instructed), it would seem that the priests under the New Covenant should abstain from wine and strong drink in the temple of God (thereby glorifying God in your body).

Praise God that under the New Covenant the hardness of our hearts has been changed…

Ezekiel 36:26-27
26: A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. 27: And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them.

...