VOA标准英语2011--Veggies Help Fight Genetic Heart Attack

Veggies Help Fight Genetic² Heart Attack Risk

A new study finds that a diet high in fruits and vegetables can reduce the danger of heart disease among people at highest risk.
Scientists found healthier eating can turn off the risk gene¹ and mitigate³ the risk of heart attack.
Researchers studied a large group of more than 27,000 people whose genetic makeup⁴, or genotype, includes a unique gene associated with an increased risk of heart attack. The scientists wanted to know whether diet could modify this gene variant⁵, known as 9p21.
Co-author and McMaster University epidemiologist Sonia Anand says they found it could. “Among people with the high risk genotype, their risk of heart attack was about 30 percent increased. However, when they consumed a diet high in raw vegetables and fruits, this risk returned to 1.0 or that of someone who doesn’t have the high risk genotype.”
The research - one of the largest gene-diet interaction studies ever conducted on heart disease - included people from five ethnicities - European, South Asian, Chinese, Latin American and Arab - who were already taking part in heart studies.
The results, published in the journal PloS Medicine, show that a minimum of two servings a day of raw fruits, vegetables and berries seemed to protect people against the adverse⁶ effects of the bad gene.
Although, Anand says, more is better. “My advice is to consume as many servings of fruits and or vegetables per day as a way to prevent heart disease, especially if you may have a family history of early disease or a genetic risk factor for heart disease.”
Health officials have long recommended this heart-healthy diet to protect against heart disease and other chronic⁷ diseases like stroke and cancer, but Anand says that only a minority of those people act on it. “Perhaps genetic information will motivate a larger section of society to actually make positive behavior changes.”
The next step in Anand's research is to study the mechanisms⁸ that trigger or silence the gene-diet interaction. A better understanding of how it works could point the way to new treatments for people with genetic heart attack risk.

1 gene   

n.遗传因子，基因

参考例句：

• A single gene may have many effects.单一基因可能具有很多种效应。
• The targeting of gene therapy has been paid close attention.其中基因治疗的靶向性是值得密切关注的问题之一。

2 genetic   

adj.遗传的，遗传学的

参考例句：

• It's very difficult to treat genetic diseases.遗传性疾病治疗起来很困难。
• Each daughter cell can receive a full complement of the genetic information.每个子细胞可以收到遗传信息的一个完全补偿物。

3 mitigate   

vt.（使）减轻，（使）缓和

参考例句：

• The government is trying to mitigate the effects of inflation.政府正试图缓和通货膨胀的影响。
• Governments should endeavour to mitigate distress.政府应努力缓解贫困问题。

4 makeup   

n.组织；性格；化装品

参考例句：

• Those who failed the exam take a makeup exam.这次考试不及格的人必须参加补考。
• Do you think her beauty could makeup for her stupidity?你认为她的美丽能弥补她的愚蠢吗？

5 variant   

adj.不同的，变异的；n.变体，异体

参考例句：

• We give professional suggestions according to variant tanning stages for each customer.我们针对每位顾客不同的日晒阶段，提供强度适合的晒黑建议。
• In a variant of this approach,the tests are data- driven.这个方法的一个变种，是数据驱动的测试。

6 adverse   

adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的

参考例句：

• He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
• The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。

7 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。

8 mechanisms   

n.机械( mechanism的名词复数 )；机械装置；[生物学] 机制；机械作用

参考例句：

• The research will provide direct insight into molecular mechanisms. 这项研究将使人能够直接地了解分子的机理。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He explained how the two mechanisms worked. 他解释这两台机械装置是如何工作的。 来自《简明英汉词典》