VOA标准英语2011--Emerging Economies, Emerging Diseases

Emerging Economies, Emerging Diseases

Emerging economies such as China, India and South Africa are discovering there is a downside to prosperity. As incomes rise, health can decline. On Monday, the U.N. opens a high-level meeting on non-communicable diseases that usually have been associated with western nations.
In recent years, India and China have seen a growing middle class. But with greater affluence¹ has come a surge in diabetes², obesity³, cardiovascular disease and cancer. South Africa is on a similar path. The United Nations will debate what can be done about these illnesses.
Project HOPE is calling on the U.N. to take strong action – not only on treatment – but prevention. The health-based NGO has programs in 35 countries on 5 continents, many of them dealing⁴ with non-communicable diseases or NCDs.
One of them – the HOPE Center – is located in Johannesburg, South Africa. Stefan Lawson, country director for Project HOPE, welcomes the U.N. meeting.
“It’s the first time that we’ve had non-communicable diseases put on such a high-level forum⁵. The last time a specific disease was done at this sort of level was for HIV and AIDS. And so, being able to push for non-communicable diseases up at that ministerial level I think will do a lot of good,” he said.
What’s for dinner?
Lawson said a majority of South African men and women are now overweight.
“One of the results of prosperity is a change in lifestyle, which includes a change in diet. So, we see here in a shift to a more western diet – MacDonald’s, KFC, fast foods, more processed meat. Things like that that definitely have an impact on a person’s lifestyle,” he said.
Food prices have risen sharply in recent years, dealing a major blow to the poor. This has a direct effect on diet and health.
“Healthy food – fruits and vegetables, etc. – now becomes more difficult to purchase for someone who lives in a poor township environment. So, they’re forced to then buy cheaper, less healthy food,” he said.
Footing the bill
As diets change, he said, whether or not by choice, the overall health of a country can decline. That, he says, can place a great burden on budgets.
“South Africa had a well documented problem with HIV and TB. And that really put a strain on the public health system. And (it) has caused a real strain in just the volume of people that are going into the clinics now. So, if you add on top of that now more people going into the clinics with things like diabetes and hypertension related issues, it’s just going to increase the burden even more on an already over strained public health system,” he said.
He added higher health care costs can be a drag on South Africa’s economic growth.
Reaching out
The Hope Center project on the outskirts⁶ of Johannesburg provides services to those with non-communicable diseases. It’s a partnership⁷ with the local community, the South African government and donor⁸ Eli Lilly & Company. The services include a diabetes clinic with the latest diagnostic and treatment options.
The center also has created peer support groups to help people manage their disease and make healthier lifestyle changes. Government health workers are also being trained about NCDs to help raise general awareness⁹.
“Teaching people about healthy meal options, teaching people about portion sizes, teaching people about how to cook their food in a healthier way. Then I think also the second part of that is being able to help people purchase those healthier food options. Because a lot of times some people know that an apple is healthier than a bag of chips, but a bag of chips costs a lot less than an apple,” said Lawson.
Lawson hopes the U.N. high-level meeting will issue a strong statement that non-communicable diseases are an emerging threat in the developing world.
In other countries, Project Hope said China has more than 300-million smokers¹⁰ and 30 percent of the population is overweight with 12 percent considered obese¹¹. In India, it says 50 million people have diabetes. It has clinics in both countries to help deal with the NCDs.

1 affluence   

n.充裕，富足

参考例句：

• Their affluence is more apparent than real.他们的富有是虚有其表。
• There is a lot of affluence in this part of the state because it has many businesses.这个州的这一部分相当富有，因为它有很多商行。

2 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。

3 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。

4 dealing   

n.经商方法，待人态度

参考例句：

• This store has an excellent reputation for fair dealing.该商店因买卖公道而享有极高的声誉。
• His fair dealing earned our confidence.他的诚实的行为获得我们的信任。

5 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

6 outskirts   

n.郊外，郊区

参考例句：

• Our car broke down on the outskirts of the city.我们的汽车在市郊出了故障。
• They mostly live on the outskirts of a town.他们大多住在近郊。

7 partnership   

n.合作关系，伙伴关系

参考例句：

• The company has gone into partnership with Swiss Bank Corporation.这家公司已经和瑞士银行公司建立合作关系。
• Martin has taken him into general partnership in his company.马丁已让他成为公司的普通合伙人。

8 donor   

n.捐献者；赠送人；(组织、器官等的)供体

参考例句：

• In these cases,the recipient usually takes care of the donor afterwards.在这类情况下，接受捐献者以后通常会照顾捐赠者。
• The Doctor transplanted the donor's heart to Mike's chest cavity.医生将捐赠者的心脏移植进麦克的胸腔。

9 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

10 smokers   

吸烟者( smoker的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Many smokers who are chemically addicted to nicotine cannot cut down easily. 许多有尼古丁瘾的抽烟人不容易把烟戒掉。
• Chain smokers don't care about the dangers of smoking. 烟鬼似乎不在乎吸烟带来的种种危害。

11 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。