VOA标准英语2010年-According to Report Americans Continue

American waistlines just keep expanding. A new report finds obesity¹ levels rose in 28 states last year. But, despite the rising levels, there is a growing awareness² that obesity is a major health problem.

In 1980, 15 percent of American adults were obese³. Today, that number has doubled.

Trust for America's Health, a non-profit group, has just issued its seventh report on obesity in America. 

Jeff Levi is one of the authors:

"In 1991, there wasn't a single state that had an adult obesity rate over 20 percent," said Jeff Levi. "Now 38 states have adult obesity rates of more than 25 percent."

Since last year, four more states reported adult obesity rates of more than 30 percent - meaning that at least 30 percent of their populations are obese.

"There are many explanations," he said. "One, is we are just much less active than we used to be. We've built our society around cars, around being inactive."

Studies show a link between time on a computer or in front of a TV and obesity.

Other studies point to high calorie fast food.

But Levi says there are other risk factors. 

"Obesity is very much associated with poverty," said Levi.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, lean meats and fish are expensive. And there are few grocery stores in low income neighborhoods. That means poor people find it difficult to buy healthful food.

"And poor people tend to live in neighborhoods that are less safe and have fewer opportunities for physical activity," he said. "So the combination of eating more calorie-dense food and having fewer opportunities for physical activity, that's what creates this obesity epidemic⁴."

Levi praises the Obama Administration, and First Lady Michelle Obama, for trying to change eating and exercise habits.

"It's threatening our children," said Michelle Obama. "It's threatening our families and, more importantly, it's threatening the future of this nation."

The first lady has traveled the country in her campaign against childhood obesity.

Last year, the Obama Administration pledged more than $400 million to help bring more grocery stores to underserved communities nationwide.

The obesity crisis means more spending on healthcare.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports that obesity costs at least $147 billion annually⁵, and that figure is based on data from 2006.

Kenneth Thorpe of Emory University expects the number to go even higher. 

"It's the single biggest driver over the past 10 to 15 years of why healthcare has risen," said Kenneth Thorpe. "We do have this explosion of chronic⁶ diseases related to obesity."

Diabetes⁷, high blood pressure heart disease and cancer are linked to obesity. 

Health policy experts and doctors hope the reports will help Americans change their lifestyle.   

 

1 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。

2 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。

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 epidemic   

n.流行病；盛行；adj.流行性的，流传极广的

参考例句：

• That kind of epidemic disease has long been stamped out.那种传染病早已绝迹。
• The authorities tried to localise the epidemic.当局试图把流行病限制在局部范围。

5 annually   

adv.一年一次，每年

参考例句：

• Many migratory birds visit this lake annually.许多候鸟每年到这个湖上作短期逗留。
• They celebrate their wedding anniversary annually.他们每年庆祝一番结婚纪念日。

6 chronic   

adj.(疾病)长期未愈的，慢性的；极坏的

参考例句：

• Famine differs from chronic malnutrition.饥荒不同于慢性营养不良。
• Chronic poisoning may lead to death from inanition.慢性中毒也可能由虚弱导致死亡。

7 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。