British Vision Issue 19 英国肥胖儿童的未来

The joint¹ study published today by the Health Care Commission, the National Audit² Office and Audit Commission says that without clear leadership from government departments, the target of halting obesity³ in children under 11 by 2010 will fail, and it cites too few staff and a lack of specific funding as problems.

Junk food, too little exercise and an increasingly sedentary life style, all well-known factors in the spiraling problem of childhood obesity in Britain. The causes are clear, but the government's efforts to tackle the problem are inefficient⁴, confused and under-resourced according to Today's Report.

Obesity costs the NHS one billion pounds a year, and blights⁵ the health of up to one million children under 16. Doctors say this could be the first generation for decades to die before their parents unless urgent action is taken. Yet, progress is so slow according to Today's Report that the government risks missing its target of halting obesity in children under 11 by 2010. The Health Care Commission, Audit Commission and National Audit Office're pointing out it's taken 31 experts 18 months to agree how to measure obesity. The report says there are many initiatives to tackle the problem, but no specific funding. It complains that many organizations involved are unclear about their roles, causing potential confusion and wasting resources. And it adds that there are too few frontline staff to deal with the complex problem of obesity.

"What is needed is more leadership from the government departments involved, that then needs to flow down to clearer programmes and funding at the regional level, and that in turn needs to flow down to better guidance and support and advice for those actually working with children. "

The fight against obesity in children has backing at the highest level of government, yet the report claims that a clear lack of direction is hampering⁶ the efforts of five government departments at hundreds of local organizations.

"People are eating more processed foods, and also doing less exercise, and we are trying to turn that around, and the Healthy Start Scheme, the free food in schools, but also working with families as well as school's health authorities and others, is part of that, but it's a, it isn't an easy task. "

Recent initiatives have included replacing junk food in schools with healthy alternatives, largely as a result of a campaign by TV chef Jenny Oliver. There is evidence of changing eating habits in Britain. Fast food chain McDonald's has decided⁷ to close 25 branches around the country because of falling sales.

But Today's Report warns that children face adulthood⁸ illnesses such as diabetes⁹ and heart disease if the obesity strategy isn't speeded up.

1 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

2 audit   

v.审计；查帐；核对；旁听

参考例句：

• Each year they audit our accounts and certify them as being true and fair.他们每年对我们进行账务审核，以确保其真实无误。
• As usual,the yearly audit will take place in December.跟往常一样，年度审计将在十二月份进行。

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 inefficient   

adj.效率低的，无效的

参考例句：

• The inefficient operation cost the firm a lot of money.低效率的运作使该公司损失了许多钱。
• Their communication systems are inefficient in the extreme.他们的通讯系统效率非常差。

5 blights   

使凋萎( blight的第三人称单数 )； 使颓丧； 损害； 妨害

参考例句：

• The crops suffered from frequent blights. 农作物经常遭受病虫害。
• New England was accustomed to didacticism in its literature, and unmitigated didacticism blights the novel. 新英格兰习惯于在文学里说教，可是一味说教，小说就要完蛋。

6 hampering   

妨碍，束缚，限制( hamper的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• So fraud on cows and development aid is seriously hampering growth. 因此在牛问题上和发展补助上的诈骗严重阻碍了发展。
• Short-termism, carbon-trading, disputing the science-are hampering the implementation of direct economically-led objectives. 短效主义，出售二氧化碳，进行科学辩论，这些都不利于实现以经济为主导的直接目标。

7 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

8 adulthood   

n.成年，成人期

参考例句：

• Some infantile actions survive into adulthood.某些婴儿期的行为一直保持到成年期。
• Few people nowadays are able to maintain friendships into adulthood.如今很少有人能将友谊维持到成年。

9 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。