SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Sugar and Diet / Women and Diabetes /

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS - Sugar and Diet / Women and Diabetes¹ / Preparing for a Flu Pandemic
By

Broadcast: Tuesday, September 07, 2004

(MUSIC)

VOICE ONE:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English. I'm Bob Doughty².

VOICE TWO:

 
Graphic³ Image
And I'm Faith Lapidus. On our program this week: writing new dietary guidelines for Americans.

VOICE ONE:

And, preparing for the next influenza⁴ pandemic.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

Americans are expected in January to get new advice from the government about what to eat and what to avoid. The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Agriculture publish a report every five years. It contains nutritional⁵ information and guidelines for the public on diet and physical activity.

The report is based on the work of the Dietary Guidelines Advisory⁶ Committee. This group has just come out with its advice for the two thousand five version of the guidelines.

The committee says its findings support the development of dietary guidelines that express messages such as: "Control calorie intake⁷ to manage body weight." "Be physically⁸ active every day." "Increase daily intake of fruits and vegetables, whole grains and non-fat and low-fat milk and milk products." And, "Choose fats wisely for good health."

VOICE ONE:

The list also includes: "Choose carbohydrates⁹ wisely for good health." The committee noted¹⁰ that this represents a major change. For the first time, the list does not say anything directly about sugar. Carbohydrates include the different sugars that people and nature use to sweeten foods. For more than twenty years, the dietary guidelines have directly advised Americans to limit their amount of sugar.

The government will accept comments on the report through September twenty-seventh.

The advisory committee provides explanations and scientific arguments for each message in its full report. Sugars are discussed in the part about carbohydrates.

Most people do not read the full report. The dietary guidelines, however, often appear in schools, health centers and other places. They are also used to develop educational guides.

A commentary in the New York Times criticized the change. It noted that some of the experts on the committee have ties to the food industry. The newspaper said it is difficult to imagine that the change was not the result of influence by the sugar industry.

VOICE TWO:

The Sugar Association said in a statement that it was pleased with the work of the committee. The industry group says the new messages recognize the importance of energy balance. This is the idea that people should not get more calories than they need to meet their energy requirements. The Sugar Association says the new guidance provides a "more helpful message" by not singling out individual nutrients¹¹.

VOICE ONE:

But the committee does say there are reasons for people to limit their intake of sugars and syrups¹³ added to food. It says a reduced intake of added sugars may help control weight gain and make sure other food needs are met.

Health officials say two-thirds of Americans are overweight or obese¹⁴. The committee says that while more research is needed, a number of studies suggest a link between sugar-sweetened drinks and weight gain.

One of those studies appeared in the Journal of the American Medical Association shortly before the committee released its report.

VOICE TWO:

The study dealt with the effects of sugar-sweetened colas and other soft drinks. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health, Boston Children's Hospital and Brigham and Women's Hospital did the study.

They studied information provided by more than ninety thousand women. This information was collected between nineteen ninety-one and nineteen ninety-nine. The women answered questions two times each year about their food intake.

The researchers say those who drank high levels of sugar-sweetened drinks were more likely to gain weight and develop diabetes. Some of the women had increased their level of sugary drinks to one or more per day during the eight-year period. The researchers say these women gained an average of almost eight kilograms. Other women had decreased their level to one or no sugary drinks per day. On average, these women gained less than three kilograms.

VOICE ONE:

The doctors note that weight gain is a major cause of type two diabetes. This form of the disease usually appears in adults.

The study compared women who drank more than one sugar-sweetened soft drink a day with those who drank less than one a month. The women who drank more were reported to have over an eighty percent higher risk of diabetes than the other women.

There were also findings about women who drank sugar-sweetened fruit drinks. The study says women who drank these every day were two times as likely to develop diabetes as those who drank less than one a month.

VOICE TWO:

Doctor Meir [mare] Stampfer at the Harvard School of Public Health says sugary soft drinks cause a sharp increase in blood sugar. He says this causes the body to produce more insulin, and that causes the sugar levels to go down. He describes the process as a recipe for diabetes, a disease where insulin production weakens.

The researchers say diet drinks and unsweetened fruit juice did not appear to cause an increased risk of diabetes.

Doctor Stampfer says it is easier to gain weight from calories in drinks than in foods. He says drinks sweetened with sugar or high-fructose corn syrup¹² are high in calories, but do not satisfy hunger. When people do not feel full, they often take in more calories than their bodies need. The researchers says soft drinks are the leading way that Americans get added sugar.

VOICE ONE:

The American Beverage¹⁵ Association criticized the study. This trade group recently changed its name from the National Soft Drink Association. It says to blame any one food or drink for increasing the risk of diabetes is "scientifically indefensible."

It says most published medical literature does not list sugar intake as a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. A spokesman for the group says a careful reading of the study shows that an unhealthy lifestyle increased the risk for the women. The study found that the women who drank the most soft drinks were generally less physically active and more likely to smoke. They also generally ate less well than those who drank the fewest sugary drinks. For example, they ate less protein and grain.

The association says the study provides no evidence to support the idea that sugar-sweetened drinks are a cause of type two diabetes. On the issue of weight gain, it says there is no proven link between increased sugar intake and obesity¹⁶.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

This is SCIENCE IN THE NEWS, in VOA Special English. I'm Faith Lapidus.

Public health officials in the United States say they want to be ready in the event of another influenza pandemic. Pandemics are times when diseases spread throughout the world. Three influenza pandemics took place in the twentieth century. The most recent was in nineteen sixty eight. Last month the Department of Health and Human Services proposed a plan. It is called the "Pandemic Influenza Response and Preparedness Plan."

Possible measures include actions like closing schools, restricting travel and keeping infected people away from others. The plan also proposes major federal research to create different kinds of flu viruses in order to study them. Experts say such efforts could reduce the time needed to produce new vaccines¹⁸.

One fear is that bird flu could develop the ability to spread between people and start a pandemic. Researchers with support from the National Institutes of Health aim to develop a vaccine¹⁷ against avian influenza. Tests are to begin this winter.

The most deadly flu pandemic known struck in nineteen eighteen. As many as fifty million people may have died from the so-called Spanish flu.

VOICE ONE:

Officials announced the pandemic readiness plan on August twenty-sixth. That same day, the vaccine maker¹⁹ Chiron announced that some of it flu vaccine did not pass final inspection²⁰ for purity. Chiron is one of the two major producers of flu vaccine in the United States. The company said it would halt shipments until more tests were done.

The company is based in California. It produces vaccine at a factory in the British city of Liverpool. Chiron was to release as many as forty-eight million doses of vaccine in September. Now, the company says it expects that will not happen until October.

Health officials say they still expect to be able to meet the needs of the public this flu season. Doctor Julie Gerberding is director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. She noted there have been vaccine delays in the past. The other major supplier, Aventis Pasteur, aims to increase its supply to help make sure there is enough flu vaccine this winter.

(MUSIC)

VOICE TWO:

SCIENCE IN THE NEWS was written by Caty Weaver²¹ and Nancy Steinbach. Cynthia Kirk was our producer. To send us e-mail, write to [email protected]. This is Faith Lapidus.

VOICE ONE:

And this is Bob Doughty. Join us again next week for more news about science, in Special English, on the Voice of America.

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 doughty   

adj.勇猛的，坚强的

参考例句：

• Most of successful men have the characteristics of contumacy and doughty.绝大多数成功人士都有共同的特质：脾气倔强，性格刚强。
• The doughty old man battled his illness with fierce determination.坚强的老人用巨大毅力与疾病作斗争。

3 graphic   

adj.生动的，形象的，绘画的，文字的，图表的

参考例句：

• The book gave a graphic description of the war.这本书生动地描述了战争的情况。
• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons.用图标来区分重要的文本项。

4 influenza   

n.流行性感冒，流感

参考例句：

• They took steps to prevent the spread of influenza.他们采取措施
• Influenza is an infectious disease.流感是一种传染病。

5 nutritional   

adj.营养的，滋养的

参考例句：

• A diet lacking in nutritional value will not keep a person healthy.缺乏营养价值的饮食不能维持人的健康。
• The labels on food products give a lot of information about their nutritional content.食品上的标签提供很多关于营养成分的信息。

6 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

7 intake   

n.吸入，纳入；进气口，入口

参考例句：

• Reduce your salt intake.减少盐的摄入量。
• There was a horrified intake of breath from every child.所有的孩子都害怕地倒抽了一口凉气。

8 physically   

adj.物质上，体格上，身体上，按自然规律

参考例句：

• He was out of sorts physically,as well as disordered mentally.他浑身不舒服，心绪也很乱。
• Every time I think about it I feel physically sick.一想起那件事我就感到极恶心。

9 carbohydrates   

n.碳水化合物，糖类( carbohydrate的名词复数 )；淀粉质或糖类食物

参考例句：

• The plant uses the carbohydrates to make cellulose. 植物用碳水化合物制造纤维素。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• All carbohydrates originate from plants. 所有的碳水化合物均来自植物。 来自辞典例句

10 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。

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 syrup   

n.糖浆，糖水

参考例句：

• I skimmed the foam from the boiling syrup.我撇去了煮沸糖浆上的泡沫。
• Tinned fruit usually has a lot of syrup with it.罐头水果通常都有许多糖浆。

13 syrups   

n.糖浆，糖汁( syrup的名词复数 )；糖浆类药品

参考例句：

• A variety of cocktails were created all using Monin syrups and purees. 我们用莫林糖浆和果泥创作了许多鸡尾酒。 来自互联网
• Other applications include fruit juices, flavors, and sugar syrups. 其它的应用包括水果汁、香精和糖浆。 来自互联网

14 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。

15 beverage   

n.(水，酒等之外的)饮料

参考例句：

• The beverage is often colored with caramel.这种饮料常用焦糖染色。
• Beer is a beverage of the remotest time.啤酒是一种最古老的饮料。

16 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。

17 vaccine   

n.牛痘苗，疫苗；adj.牛痘的，疫苗的

参考例句：

• The polio vaccine has saved millions of lives.脊髓灰质炎疫苗挽救了数以百万计的生命。
• She takes a vaccine against influenza every fall.她每年秋季接种流感疫苗。

18 vaccines   

疫苗，痘苗( vaccine的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His team are at the forefront of scientific research into vaccines. 他的小组处于疫苗科研的最前沿。
• The vaccines were kept cool in refrigerators. 疫苗放在冰箱中冷藏。

19 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

20 inspection   

n.检查，审查，检阅

参考例句：

• On random inspection the meat was found to be bad.经抽查，发现肉变质了。
• The soldiers lined up for their daily inspection by their officers.士兵们列队接受军官的日常检阅。

21 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。