VOA慢速英语2015 过度使用网络对青少年有害（在线收听）

Too Much Internet May Be Bad for Teenagers 过度使用网络对青少年有害

From VOA Learning English, this is the Health and Lifestyle report.

美国之音慢速学英语，这里是健康和生活方式报道。

The Internet plays a big part in human life. We use it for work and entertainment. We can find new recipes on the Internet or advice on staying healthy. We can even use it to learn a new language. We use the Internet to connect with family and friends and stay in touch with issues we care about.

互联网在人类生活中发挥着重大作用。我们利用它来工作和娱乐。我们可以在网上找到新的菜谱，或保持健康的建议。我们甚至可以利用互联网来学习新的语言。我们用互联网来和家人朋友联系，关注我们关心的事情。

The list goes on and on.

这个清单非常长。

As far as the Internet being a part of our lives – well, that train has left the station. That expression means there is no going back. If you prefer boating, you can say that ship has sailed.

互联网是我们生活的一部分——火车已经离开车站。这个表达方式的意思是，一去不回了。如果你喜欢划船的话，你可以说船已经启航了。

So, there may be no going back to an Internet-free life. But can using the Internet too much be bad for our health?

那么，我们也回不去没有互联网的日子了。但是过多使用互联网是否对健康有害？

It might be, say researchers.

研究人员说，或许会。

A new study finds that heavy Internet use may be connected to high blood pressure in an unlikely group -- teenagers.

一项新的研究发现，过多使用互联网或许与一个不可能的群体——青少年高血压有关。

The study results show that teens who spend at least 14 hours a week online were more likely to have high blood pressure.

研究结果显示，每周上网至少14小时的青少年更有可能患高血压。

High blood pressure makes your heart and blood vessels work too hard. Over time, this extra strain increases your risk of a heart attack or stroke.

高血压会加重心脏和血管的工作负担。久而久之，这种额外的压力会增加心脏病或中风的风险。

High blood pressure can also cause heart and kidney disease. It is also closely linked to some forms of dementia, a brain disease. Dementia is marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and a reduced ability to reason.

高血压还会造成心脏和肾脏疾病，还与某些脑部疾病，比如痴呆有着密切关系。痴呆的特征是记忆混乱，性格改变，推理能力减退。

The study

研究

The Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan did the study. It involved 335 young people, from 14 to 17 years old. One hundred thirty-four of the teens were described as "heavy Internet users." Researchers found that out of these 134 teens, 26 had high blood pressure.

密歇根底特律的亨利·福特医院进行了这项研究。研究对象是335名14岁至17岁的青少年。134名青少年被描述为“过多使用互联网用户”。研究人员发现，在这134名青少年中，26人患有高血压。

The researchers say the study is the first to connect heavy web use and high blood pressure. Other research has connected that heavy Internet use with health problems including anxiety, depression and obesity.

研究人员表示，这是首项将过度使用互联网和高血压联系在一起的研究。其他研究将过多使用互联网和健康问题联系起来，比如焦虑，抑郁和肥胖。

The lead researcher of the study is Andrea Cassidy-Bushrow. In a statement she said, "Using the Internet is part of our daily life but it shouldn't consume us."

这项研究的首席研究员是Andrea Cassidy-Bushrow。她在一份声明中表示，“使用互联网是我们日常生活的一部分，但是不能消耗我们的生命。”

For the purpose of the study, she explains, teens considered heavy Internet users were online on “average 25 hours a week."

她解释说，为了进行这项研究，被认为过度使用互联网的青少年指的是平均每周上网超过25小时的人。

Ms. Cassidy-Bushrow adds that it is important for teens to take "regular breaks from their computers or smartphones” and to do some “kind of physical activity."

Cassidy-Bushrow补充说，青少年应该“经常离开电脑或智能手机休息一下”，“做一些体育活动”，这非常重要。

She also suggests that parents limit their children's use of the Internet to two hours a day, five days a week.

她还建议家长将孩子每天使用电脑的时间限制在2小时以内，每周5天。

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says, 70 million, or 29%, of American adults have high blood pressure. Just more than half of those people have taken steps to control it. The CDC estimates that high blood pressure costs the United States $46 billion each year.

美国疾病控制和防御中心表示，7000万，或者29%的美国成年人有高血压。其中超过一半的人已经采取措施来控制。疾病防控中心估计，高血压每年耗费美国460亿美元的资金。

The study was published in the Journal of School Nursing.

这项研究发表在《学校护理期刊》上。

Words in This Story

train has left the station – idiomatic expression (another way to say this is “that ship has sailed”)

blood vessels -– n. a small tube that carries blood to different parts of a person or animal's body

strain -– v. to injure by overuse, misuse, or excessive pressure

consume – v. to absorb completely; engross or obsess