VOA慢速英语2019--马来西亚开展减肥运动对抗肥胖危机

"1-2-3," shouts Noradhiah Tumirin, a medical doctor and fitness trainer. "You can do it," she says approvingly as her client, Sarah Baharudin, lies on her back and struggles to lift her legs in the air.

Tumirin is leading Baharudin in an exercise class. Baharudin, age 35, is breathing heavily as she lifts her legs. She is 165 centimeters tall and weighs 110 kilograms. The Malaysian woman blames her diet for her weight gain.

"I eat traditional Malay food, yes and it's high in fat and calorie."

Baharudin added that, for years, she also was not physically¹ active and did not exercise.

"So yes, years after years of doing that and it becomes obesity²."

Her story is a common one across Malaysia. About 50 percent of the country's adults are obese³ and about 30 percent of young people are overweight.

Sarah Baharudin and husband, Nazrul Mohammad, are trying to change their lifestyles by exercising regularly and eating healthier food.

Noradhiah Tumirin is now retired⁴, but once served in the Malaysian armed forces. She is physically fit, measuring 157 centimeters tall and weighing just 56 kilograms. She says the country's obesity crisis is leading to high rates of heart disease and related medical conditions.

"This obesity will lead to multiple illnesses such as hypertension, high cholesterol⁵, heart illnesses and diabetes⁶."

Kevin Zahri is one of Malaysia's leading fitness influencers. He founded a local weight loss movement called Jom Kurus, which means "let's get thin" or "let's lose weight."

"To help somebody not feel alone and jump on the bandwagon with a group of people...of similar objectives, goals and desires."

Every year, thousands of Malaysians join six-week-long Jom Kurus fitness camps. They meet several times a week for exercises and to learn more about nutrition. There also are social media support groups. At one recent class, people did leg lifts, pushups and stretches.

Kevin Zahri says the average person at the camp drops four to five kilos of weight during the six week program. But his real goal is to help Malaysians make healthy changes that will last a lifetime.

That is what Sarah Baharudin is pushing for by getting on a regular exercise routine and improving her diet.

"I have decided⁷ to change my lifestyle into a healthier one."

But while Jom Kurus and other programs are helping⁸ Malaysians change their lifestyles, it is clear these classes only treat a small part of the nation's obesity crisis.

Zahri says the amount of people they have targeted is very small compared to the people who need more exercise and changes in diet.

Baharudin knows that changing lifelong behaviors is not easy but she says she is strong-minded enough to make this the beginning of a new way of life.

Words in This Story

fitness – n. the act of being healthy through exercise

client – n. a person who pays a professional person or organization for services

calorie – n. a unit of heat used to indicate the amount of energy that foods will produce in the human body

obesity – n. very fat

lifestyle – n. a particular way of living

illness – n. a specific condition that prevents your body or mind from working normally

jump on the bandwagon – expression. to join an activity that has become very popular so you can share in its success

1 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。

2 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。

3 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。

4 retired   

adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的

参考例句：

• The old man retired to the country for rest.这位老人下乡休息去了。
• Many retired people take up gardening as a hobby.许多退休的人都以从事园艺为嗜好。

5 cholesterol   

n.（U）胆固醇

参考例句：

• There is cholesterol in the cell of body.人体细胞里有胆固醇。
• They are determining the serum-protein and cholesterol levels.他们正在测定血清蛋白和胆固醇的浓度。

6 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。

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 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。