2. How much folic acid should you take?

a. 0.4 mg
b. 0.8 mg
c. 1.2 mg

a. The national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that ensuring all pregnant women get at least 0.4 mg of folic acid daily can prevent 50 to 70 percent of neural tube abnormalities. Of note, however, is that folic acid levels need to be optimal during the first month of pregnancy, so supplementation is recommended prior to conception. While more studies about folic acid and heart disease need to be done, the addition of a daily multivitamin containing 0.4 mg is prudent, especially for people with a family history of heart disease.

3. How much supplemental vitamin A should you take?

a. 8,000 IU per day
b. 24,000 IU per day
c. None

a. But the answer could easily be c. In the late 1980s, a study showed that people who ate foods containing lots of vitamin A had lower rates of cancer. Americans went from spending $8 million on vitamin A in 1988 to spending $80 million currently. Recent studies have found not only that the correlation between lower cancer rates and vitamin A is not as strong as initially thought, but that too much vitamin A can be harmful. Some studies have shown increased risks of lung cancer, atherosclerosis, liver damage, and stroke with excessive use of vitamin A. Smokers should be particularly careful. Mega-dosing should be avoided, and you should not take more than 8,000 IU daily.

4. What is Body Mass Index (BMI)?

a. A way of calculating body fat percentage
b. A ratio of body weight to body height
c. An ideal weight chart

b. In general, BMI is a good indicator of body fat content, but it does not take into consideration the weight of muscle vs. fat. However, it is a favored measure of excess weight because it is simple to calculate and inexpensive, and can be applied to most adults.

5. How do you find your BMI?

a. Divide your weight by your height
b. Divide your height by your weight
c. None of the above

c. To calculate your BMI, convert your weight from pounds to kilograms by dividing your weight in pounds by 2.2. Convert your height in inches to meters by multiplying your height in inches by 0.0254. Square your height in meters (multiply your height in meters by itself ). Divide your weight in kilograms by your squared height.

6. What is the average BMI in the United States?

a. 26.3
b. 22.4
c. 28.2

a. A sad answer, as overweight is defined as a BMI between 25 to 29.9, with obesity defined as a BMI of 30 or greater. An ideal BMI is 23 or less.

7. Drinking bottled water is safer than drinking tap water.

a. True
b. False

b. A four-year study by the Natural Resources Defense Council found that bottled water is not necessarily safer or cleaner than most tap water. The study tested more than 1,000 bottles of 103 brands of bottled water and found that about one-third contained levels of contamination that exceeded allowable limits under either state or bottled water industry standards or guidelines. The FDA is responsible for bottled water safety, but its rules exempt water that is packaged and sold within the same state, which accounts for 60 to 70 percent of bottled water sold in the United States. Even bottled water covered by the FDA is subject to less rigorous testing and purity standards than those that apply to tap water.

8. Sunscreen should be worn:

a. Between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
b. While riding in your car
c. On a cloudy day
d. A and C
e. All of the above

e. Since the majority of skin cancer occurs on the hands and face, experts now recommend that sunscreen be used on the hands while driving. While the sun is at its most intense between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., exposure can occur on a cloudy day and through your car windows.

9. People with more moles and freckles are more likely to get melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer.

a. True
b. False

a. The more moles you have, the greater the risk of melanoma. People with 100 or more moles have a risk 10 times greater than those with no moles.

10. After you quit smoking, how long does it take to return to the risk of heart disease of people who have never smoked?

a. Two years
b. Five years
c. 15 years

c. However, after the first 20 minutes your blood and pulse rate drop and the temperature of your hands and feet increase. After eight hours, the carbon monoxide level in your blood returns to normal, as does your oxygen level. At 24 hours, your chance of a heart attack decreases. Regrowth of your nerve endings starts at 48 hours. Within the first year, your circulation and lung function improve. At one year, the excess risk of coronary artery disease decreases to half of that of a smoker. At five years, the risk of stroke is that of people who have never smoked. At 10 years, the risk of lung cancer is as little as half of that of continuing smokers, and the risks of mouth, throat, esophageal, bladder, kidney, and pancreatic cancer decrease. At 15 years, the overall risk of death returns to nearly the level of people who have never smoked.

11. The following exercises are good for bone strength:

a. Walking
b. Weight lifting
c. Swimming
d. A and B
e. All of the above

d. While swimming may be good aerobic exercise, bone strength is gained only by weight-bearing or strength-training exercises.

12. How much calcium does the average adult need?

a. 800 mg per day
b. 1,200 mg per day
c. 2,000 mg per day

b. The average adult needs 1,200 to 1,500 mg per day. Most people take in only about 750 mg from food each day. Progressive bone loss starts at about age 35, and bone density may be reduced by as much as 30 to 50 percent by age 80. Supplementation of 600 to 800 mg per day is recommended, particularly for postmenopausal women.

13. If otherwise healthy, you should exercise to your maximum heart rate.

a. True
b. False

b. You should exercise to your target heart rate, which is 60 to 90 percent of your maximum heart rate. To find your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220. When you begin an exercise program, you should aim for 60 percent of your maximum heart rate and gradually increase over a period of months.

14. New studies raise questions about the safety of cellular phones.

a. True
b. False

a. A recent study at the University of Washington found that rats exposed to microwave radiation suffered long-term memory loss and genetic mutations. In a paper issued in October, the FDA said, “Available science doesn’t allow us to conclude that mobile phones are absolutely safe or that they are unsafe.” Until conclusive studies are available, many cell-phone users are limiting their calls to emergencies or buying a hands-free earpiece.

15. Good health habits can extend your life by as much as:

a. Two years
b. Five years
c. 10 years
d. None of the above

d. A team from the Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago analyzed more than 360,000 patients and found that people who don’t smoke and who maintain low cholesterol and blood pressure levels can live from six to 9 1/2 years longer than their less healthy counterparts.