VOA标准英语2013--Groups Seek Ways to Reduce Obesity Among Poor Children

 

Groups Seek Ways to Reduce Obesity¹ Among Poor Children

The rate of obesity among children has more than doubled over the past three decades in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Researchers say it is especially alarming in poor neighborhoods. A study at Rice University found a link between poverty and obesity.

“What we found is that for children in poor neighborhoods, they had higher odds² of obesity compared to children who lived in more affluent³ neighborhoods,” said Rachel Tolbert Kimbo, who led the research.

Other research has linked child under-nutrition to obesity. Without enough nourishment⁴, children can suffer stunted⁵ growth and other developmental delays, and even lower intelligence. If a child is overweight, he can still be undernourished and suffer a double burden of disease and developmental delay.

“Double burdens means that countries, and in fact, families may have both under-nutrition so they may have children or adults who have reduced height, but also they may become overweight or obese⁶ and that has bad consequences for diabetes⁷, for heart disease, for other chronic⁸ diseases,” said Dr. Robert Black of Johns Hopkins University.

Even children with enough to eat can suffer from malnutrition⁹ and stunting¹⁰ if they don't get the right nutrients¹¹. The United Nations Children's Fund and other organizations are trying to raise money to provide the right nutrients for the 165 million children stunted by poor nutrition.  

Other programs try to address and prevent obesity where food is abundant and nutritious¹².

In the U.S., the Virginia Foundation for Healthy Youth has been working to eliminate childhood obesity in urban neighborhoods in Virginia by providing an hour of exercise after school in a safe setting.

Richard Foster with the Virginia Foundation for Healthy youth says the program is designed to get children to develop lifelong habits.

“Our goal is to get the children moving, to keep them more active to teach them how to eat better and to take better charge of their own personal health and to live longer healthier lives,” he said.

Exercise also can help children do better in school. A recent report from the National Institute of Medicine shows that increasing students’ physical activity and fitness not only reduces obesity but may improve academic performance in math and reading.

Trustina Sabah also contributed to this report. 

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 odds   

n.让步，机率，可能性，比率；胜败优劣之别

参考例句：

• The odds are 5 to 1 that she will win.她获胜的机会是五比一。
• Do you know the odds of winning the lottery once?你知道赢得一次彩票的几率多大吗？

3 affluent   

adj.富裕的，富有的，丰富的，富饶的

参考例句：

• He hails from an affluent background.他出身于一个富有的家庭。
• His parents were very affluent.他的父母很富裕。

4 nourishment   

n.食物，营养品；营养情况

参考例句：

• Lack of proper nourishment reduces their power to resist disease.营养不良降低了他们抵抗疾病的能力。
• He ventured that plants draw part of their nourishment from the air.他大胆提出植物从空气中吸收部分养分的观点。

5 stunted   

adj.矮小的；发育迟缓的

参考例句：

• the stunted lives of children deprived of education 未受教育的孩子所过的局限生活
• But the landed oligarchy had stunted the country's democratic development for generations. 但是好几代以来土地寡头的统治阻碍了这个国家民主的发展。

6 obese   

adj.过度肥胖的，肥大的

参考例句：

• The old man is really obese,it can't be healthy.那位老人确实过于肥胖了，不能算是健康。
• Being obese and lazy is dangerous to health.又胖又懒危害健康。

7 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

8 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

9 malnutrition   

n.营养不良

参考例句：

• In Africa, there are a lot of children suffering from severe malnutrition.在非洲有大批严重营养不良的孩子。
• It is a classic case of malnutrition. 这是营养不良的典型病例。

10 stunting   

v.阻碍…发育[生长]，抑制，妨碍( stunt的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Objective To report three-year-old twin brothers with speech stunting. 目的报道孪生兄弟同患语言发育迟缓的临床结果。 来自互联网
• No one should talk while stunting except coach or back spotter. 在技巧进行的过程中，只有教练或后保能说话。 来自互联网

11 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 nutritious   

adj.有营养的，营养价值高的

参考例句：

• Fresh vegetables are very nutritious.新鲜蔬菜富于营养。
• Hummingbirds have discovered that nectar and pollen are very nutritious.蜂鸟发现花蜜和花粉是很有营养的。