时差N小时 预防肥胖要趁早

A recent survey conducted by the Department of Health (DOH) showed that one out of every four junior high school students is currently overweight. The survey sample included roughly 4,400 junior high students in Taiwan. It found that 35% of boys and 22% of girls are carrying excess kilos, setting themselves up for a host of future medical problems including diabetes¹.

近期一项由卫生部发起的调查研究显示有1/4的初中生体重超过正常标准。研究样本大约包括4400个台湾初中生。研究发现35%的男孩和22%的女孩体内带有多余的卡路里，这会使他们将来面临很多健康问题，包括糖尿病。

One culprit is bad food. The survey also showed that soda² and other sugar-based drinks are the choice of 80% of junior high school students at least twice a week. Exercise is a daily recommendation for children, but the survey claims 40% of kids in Taiwan are not even breaking a sweat three times a week.

劣质食物就是罪魁祸首之一。调查也显示80%的台湾初中生一周至少会饮用两次苏打和含糖饮料。依照建议，儿童每天都要运动，但是这项调查显示，台湾有四成孩童一周运动不到三次。

Chairman Chuang Lee-ming of the Diabetes Association of the Republic of China says the time for action has come: "Prevention is more effective than treatment. Since we know that being overweight is one of the risk factors for diabetes in children, we should take the problem seriously."

台湾地区糖尿病协会的主席张利民指出，应对这一状况应该采取相应措施：“预防比治疗更有效。既然知道体重过胖是导致儿童患糖尿病的一个危险因素，我们就应该严肃对待。

While severely³ obese⁴ people are currently a rarity in Taiwan, the experiences of the U.S., Canada and much of Western Europe show that weight can sneak⁵ up on a population quickly. Taiwan should endeavor to nip obesity⁶ in the bud, before it's too late.

虽然目前有严重肥胖问题的人在台湾很罕见，但是美国、加拿大和西欧许多国家的经验都显示，肥胖问题可能很快便不知不觉地找上许多人。台湾当局应积极应对，将肥胖症扼杀在萌芽状态，以免悔之不及。

1 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。

2 soda   

n.苏打水；汽水

参考例句：

• She doesn't enjoy drinking chocolate soda.她不喜欢喝巧克力汽水。
• I will freshen your drink with more soda and ice cubes.我给你的饮料重加一些苏打水和冰块。

3 severely   

adv.严格地；严厉地；非常恶劣地

参考例句：

• He was severely criticized and removed from his post.他受到了严厉的批评并且被撤了职。
• He is severely put down for his careless work.他因工作上的粗心大意而受到了严厉的批评。

4 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。

5 sneak   

vt.潜行(隐藏,填石缝)；偷偷摸摸做；n.潜行；adj.暗中进行

参考例句：

• He raised his spear and sneak forward.他提起长矛悄悄地前进。
• I saw him sneak away from us.我看见他悄悄地从我们身边走开。

6 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。