英语听力文摘 English Digest 616、父母引导健康饮食

 　　Parents Model Healthy Eating

 

　　It should come as no surprise that the more stressed parents are at work, the greater the burden on their family. It’s also probably not a surprise that this dynamic can negatively affect a family’s nutrition. After all, the more time parents spend working, the less time and energy they have to plan and prepare healthful meals.

 

　　Until recently, most studies have focused on the role of working mothers. Now, a study that looks at the family as a whole, and at the role of fathers in particular, adds a new wrinkle to the relationship between work stress and family nutrition.

　　Moms’ work related stress is still a central factor in how well families eat because they typically do most of the food shopping and cooking. But dad’s work related stress has a large impact, too. The study found that when mom or dad experience high levels of work related stress, their families are eating one-and-a-half fewer family meals per week, and the parents themselves report eating fewer fruits and vegetables, more fast food, and are less likely to eat breakfast regularly.

 

　　It’s worth noting that the study looked mainly at low income families who belonged to ethnic¹ or minority groups, so the findings don’t necessarily apply directly to other types of families. But the implications are wide ranging.

 

　　When it comes to family nutrition, the researchers say, the entire family, not just moms, plays a role even kids. Teaching kids, especially teenagers, to help with grocery shopping and to cook actual meals, instead of just popping a frozen pizza in the microwave, could be an important piece of the puzzle in helping² families improve their eating habits.

1 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

2 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。