No one sets out to become overweight, addicted to cigarettes, or over-extended on his or her credit. Aside from the obvious reduced quality of life, monetary costs associated with obesity, smoking and stress are overwhelming. How much do you know about the care and keeping of you? For some questions, there will be more than one answer!

1. How many calories must be burned before a pound of fat is lost?

a.) 500
b.) 1,500
c.) 2,500
d.) 3,500

2. The effects of obesity are similar to how many years of aging?

a.) 5
b.) 10
c.) 15
d.) 20 or more

3. For most Americans, the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends a daily calorie intake of:

a.) 800-1,400
b.) 1,600-2,200
c.) 3,000-3,600
d.) 4,200-4,800

4. The total cost of smoking deaths in the U.S., including health care, topped this amount between 1997 and 2001:

a.) $1 billion
b.) $50 billion
c.) $165 billion
d.) $225 billion

5. The following will happen two weeks to nine months after a smoker quits:

a.) Circulation improves
b.) Lung function increases
c.) Coughing and sinus congestion decrease d.) Hugs and gratitude from your loved ones become plentiful

6. Five to 15 years after quitting:

a.) Stroke risk is reduced to that of people who never smoked
b.) Risk of lung cancer drops to as little as one-half of that of continuing smokers
c.) Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases
d.) You are around to spoil your grandchildren

7. The average family in the U.S. carries the following amount of credit card debt:

a.) $1,500
b.) $5,000
c.) $8,000
d.) $15,000

8. Who warned, "Neither a borrower, nor a lender be?"

a.) Polonius from Shakespeare's "Hamlet"
b.) Hermione from J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"
c.) Aslan in C.S. Lewis's "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe"
d.) Your mother

9. Stress increases the production of this hormone, which can lead to or worsen heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and even some forms of cancer:

a.) Testosterone
b.) Estrogen
c.) Cortisol
d.) Peptides

Answers

1. D. According to Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, released by the U.S. Health and Human Services and Agriculture Departments, it's essential for people to increase their exercise and decrease their calories to lose weight. You need to burn 3,500 calories to burn a single pound of fat.

2. D. (Roland Sturm, UCLA/RAND Managed Care Center for Psychiatric Disorders, The Effects of Obesity, Smoking and Drinking on Medical Problems and Costs, Health Affairs, March/April 2002.)

3. B. The average daily caloric intake for a healthy adult should be between 1,600 and 2,200, depending on gender, age and activity level, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

4. C. The Centers for Disease Control released a report in July 2005 estimating that lost productivity, when combined with smoking-related health care costs, which was reported at $75.5 billion in 1998, exceeds $167 billion per year in the United States.

5. A, B, C, D. ALL OF THE ABOVE! This is the good news, according to the American Lung Association.

6. A, B, C, D. ALL OF THE ABOVE! This is the good news, according to the American Lung Association.

7. C. Consumer Credit Counseling Services: www.takechargeamerica.com; 2005. They also say that about 43 percent of American families spend more than they make each year.

8. A. Good old Shakespeare had it right back in 1602! Did your mother, too?

9. C. Duly noted on many Internet sites as the "stress or death" hormone.