中英双语新闻——25 Brain to blame for genetic obesity

 　　An international study has discovered why some people who eat a high-fat diet remain slim, yet others pile on the weight.

 

　　为什么有人经常吃高热量食物，却始终保持体态苗条，而另一些人却控制不住体重的飙升？一项国际研究揭开了其中的奥秘。

 

　　Researchers found in some people a high-fat diet causes the brain cells to become insulated from the body.

 

　　研究者在一部分人身上发现，高脂肪的食物将他们的大脑神经元与身体隔离。

 

　　This prevents vital signals, which tell the body to stop eating and to burn calories through exercise, from reaching the brain.

 

　　正是因为脂肪的阻碍，一些要求停止进食并做运动以燃烧热量的关键信号未能传递到大脑。

 

　　The team from Monash University, Australia, said the findings provide a critical link in addressing the obesity¹ epidemic².

 

　　来自于澳大利亚莫纳什大学的研究小组指出，这项发现提供了解决肥胖的关键环节。

 

　　Lead author Professor Michael Cowley, said: `These neuronal circuits regulate eating behaviours and energy expenditure³ and are a naturally occurring process in the brain.

 

　　这份研究报告的主编，迈克尔?考利教授解释道：“神经元回路调节进食活动和能量消耗，这个过程在大脑中自然生成。”

 

　　`The circuits begin to form early in life so that people may have a tendency towards obesity even before they eat their first meal,` he said.

 

　　“这个回路系统在生命早期就已经形成，一些人甚至可能在婴儿时期吃人生的第一顿饭之前就具有肥胖倾向。”，他补充道。

 

　　Eating a high fat diet causes more `insulation` in the nerve cells, and makes it even harder for the brain to help a person lose weight.

 

　　高脂肪的饮食会“隔绝”更多的神经元，使大脑更加难以帮助人们减肥。

 

　　Professor Cowley said: `Obese people are not necessarily lacking willpower. Their brains do not know how full or how much fat they have stored, so the brain does not tell the body to stop refuelling. Subsequently, their body`s ability to lose weight is significantly reduced.`

 

　　考利教授表示：“肥胖者未必缺乏毅力。由于大脑不清楚脂肪的储备量，也就不会指示身体停止补偿。因此，他们自身减肥的能力也就大大减小了。”

1 obesity   

n.肥胖，肥大

参考例句：

• One effect of overeating may be obesity.吃得过多能导致肥胖。
• Sugar and fat can more easily lead to obesity than some other foods.糖和脂肪比其他食物更容易导致肥胖。

2 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

3 expenditure   

n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗

参考例句：

• The entry of all expenditure is necessary.有必要把一切开支入账。
• The monthly expenditure of our family is four hundred dollars altogether.我们一家的开销每月共计四百元。