From VOA Learning English, this is the Health Report1 in Special English. New research2 shows that3 overweight4 or even5 slightly6 obese7 people have a lower risk8 of early death9 than people considered to be normal weight10.
Researchers
examined the results of 97 studies. Most
of11 the
studies were less than12 10 years old. They included almost13 3 million adults from around the world14,
including the United States, Canada, China, Taiwan, Brazil, India and Mexico.
The
research was carried out15 at the Centers for Disease16 Control and Prevention in the United
States. The study found
that17 people
who are considered overweight or slightly obese were five to six percent less likely18 to die from19 all causes than people of normal
weight.
But,
people with higher20 obesity ratings21 had almost a 30 percent greater risk
of death compared to normal-weight individuals. Katherine Flegal led22 the study. She says she was not surprised23 that there was no higher risk for overweight
people.
But she had not thought24 that the risk of death was definitely lower25.
The study has raised new
questions26 about
"body mass index27," or BMI.
This is
a measurement28 of body fat29 as a ratio30 of height31 to weight. BMI guidelines32 were used for the study. In recent
years, many public health experts33 have promoted34 body mass index as a way to predict35 the risk of health problems.
But a
person's BMI can be
misleading36. Steven Heymsfield is head37 of the Pennington Biomedical Research
Center in Louisiana. He says people can be physically
fit38 and in
good health, but might39 weigh more because they are more
muscular.
Still40, he cautions41 that the study's findings42 should not be an excuse43 to for people to add44 a few more pounds45.
For VOA Learning English, I'm Laurel Bowman. (Adapted from a radio program
broadcast 16Jan2013)
Vocabulary
01. Health Report = realtório de saúde
02. Research = pesquisa
03. shows that = mostra que
04. overweight = pessoas acima do peso
05. even = até mesmo
06. slightly = levemente, ligeiramente
07. obese = obesos(as)
08. lower risk = risco mais baixo
09. early death = morte premature
10. weight = peso
11. Most of = A maioria de
12. less than = menos que
13. almost = quase
14. from around the world = Do mundo todo
15. carried out = realizado(a)
16. Disease = doença
17. found that = descobriu que
18. less likely = menos provaveis
19. to die from = morrer de
20. higher = mais alto(a)
21. obesity ratings = indices de obesidade
22. led = conduziu
23. surprised = surpreso(a)
24. had not thought = não tinha pensado
25. definitely lower = definitivamente mais baixo
26. has raised new questions = tem levantado novas perguntas
27. body mass index = índice de massa corporal
28. measurement = medida
29. fat = gordura
30. ratio = proporção
31. height = altura
32. guidelines = diretrizes
33. experts = peritos
34. have promoted = tem promovido
35. as a way to predict = como uma forma de prever
36. can be misleading = pode ser enganoso
37. head = lider,chefe
38. physically fit = fisicamente em forma
39. might = pode (possibilidade)
40. Still = ainda assim
41. Cautions = adverte
42. Findings = descobertas
43. should not be an excuse = não deveria ser uma desculpa
44. add = adicionar
45. a few more pounds = algumas libras a mais
