VOA慢速英语2014 人们食用太多的盐

 

AS IT IS 2014-08-24 People Use Too Much Salt 人们食用太多的盐

There is good reason for the popularity of salt: It can add to the taste of food. And it protects against loss of needed body fluids during extreme heat.

But a new study finds more than 99 percent of the adult population of the world eats too much salt. The World Health Organization says people in many places use twice as much salt as they need. The World Health Organization warns especially about too much use of soy sauce, spicy¹ meat dishes and processed food. And it says pouring a lot of salt on food over long periods can lead to death.

Researchers from Tufts University in Massachusetts studied people from 181 countries where information was available. They found that they used an average of 3.95 grams of sodium² each day in 2010. The WHO suggests that people use no more than two grams of sodium.   

An estimated 1.65 million people die every year from overuse of sodium. The study noted³ that 40 percent of those deaths happen in people younger than age 70. The great majority of early deaths happened among people from non-wealthy countries.

But there is some good news from the study.

People in Kenya, Cameroon and Gabon used the least salt. And Kenya had the lowest death rate from heart disease and stroke. 

The country of Georgia reported the highest rate of death from cardiovascular problems. Almost 2,000 of every million of the country’s people died from heart and arterial diseases. 

Dr. Dariush Mozzafarian led the Tufts study. He notes the rates of stroke are huge throughout China, Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The study of salt usage around the world was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

1 spicy   

adj.加香料的；辛辣的，有风味的

参考例句：

• The soup tasted mildly spicy.汤尝起来略有点辣。
• Very spicy food doesn't suit her stomach.太辣的东西她吃了胃不舒服。

2 sodium   

n.（化）钠

参考例句：

• Out over the town the sodium lights were lit.在外面，全城的钠光灯都亮了。
• Common salt is a compound of sodium and chlorine.食盐是钠和氯的复合物。

3 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。