Adult fat rates have
almost quadrupled in the last 25 years. Not 22% of Britons are fat and
three-quarters are overweight. The number of fat tripled in 20 years. 10% of six
year olds are fat, rising to 17% of 15 year olds. Becoming fat can lead to
health problems, including arthritis, heart disease and diabetes; {{B}}What is
Fat?{{/B}} Your "body mass index" or BMI is a measure of, body
fat based on height and weight. A BMI of:
Under 20 = underweight 20 - 25 = normal 25 -
30 = overweight 30 + = fat So, according to
the formula, people are classed as fat if they have a body mass index over 30.
They are overweight if it is 25 - 30. {{B}}Reasons to Get Fat{{/B}}
Fat functions as energy reservoir. It is 1aid down when food is plentiful
and then converted back to energy when needed. Normal levels of fat are
not a problem for the body. In fact, they're necessary for it to function
smoothly. On a basic level, people become fat when their
caloric intake is higher than their calorie expenditure. However, a host
of factors complicate this picture. An individual's genetics, metabolism,
culture and lifestyle all have a role to play. {{B}}Where is Fat Stored in the
Body?{{/B}} Most fat is stored under the skin. But there is also
some on top of your kidneys and inside your liver and muscles. Other body
parts that gather fat depend on your gender: · adult men:
chest, waist · adult women: breasts, waist and hips
Fat tissue is made up of fat cells. These are like tiny plastic bags that
hold droplets of fat. Fat cells are only formed in our childhood. They start
growing while we are in our mothers' pregnancy. The next stage of generation is
during puberty (青春期), when the sex hormones are triggered. It defines the areas
in which the fat cells grow. The amount of fat the body wants to store is
thought to be proportional to the total number of fat cells.
After puberty, we do not grow any more fat cells. Our ceils just expand or
shrink to accommodate the fat inside our bodies. {{B}}The problem with
Childhood Fat{{/B}} If a child becomes fat their body processes
can change. Some of these may Be difficult or even impossible to alter in
adulthood. Fat ceils are laid down in the first few years of
life. If fat is stored quickly, more fat cells are created. So a fat child can
have up to three times as many as a normal child. Eventually, fat cells stop
multiplying and an adult has a fixed number for the rest of their life. The
existing cells simply enlarge or shrink to accommodate more fat.
Health problems for kids — Few health problems are observed in obsess
children. But they may develop conditions that cause problems later in life,
such as high blood pressure. They may also suffer from "sleep
apnoea (呼吸暂停)". When this happens, soft tissue in the throat blocks the
airways during sleep. This can stop their breathing for up to a minute. This
process can happen hundreds of times a night, leading to heart disease, memory
problems, headaches and fatigue. Diabetes risk Some fat
children may develop type Ⅱ diabetes. Normally this condition only starts much
later in life. When it strikes, the body stops being able to process sugar
properly and the cells are starved of energy. Type Ⅱ diabetes cannot be cured,
but it can be treated. It may lead to complications such as nerve damage, heart
disease, kidney disease and blindness. Children with this condition will have to
live with it all their lives, increasing the chance of complications. {{B}}What
Treatments Are Available?{{/B}} New drugs — Current weigh-loss
drugs are mainly amphetamine (安非他明，一种药品) based. They increase the amount of some
hormones in the blood, lowering hunger levels. However, they are not suitable
for long term use and side effects can include high blood pressure, anxiety and
restlessness. New drugs are being developed that may give greater weight loss
with fewer side effects. Lifestyle changes — New drugs may help
people to lose weight, but the problem is keeping it off. Most people who lose
weight on a calorie controlled diet put it on again. Only 5% of fat people
manage to keep their weight down. What is required is a complete change in
lifestyle. More exercise, a healthier balanced diet and realistic expectations
can help make the change permanent. To become healthier doesn't require huge
weight loss. {{B}}Advice on Childhood Fat{{/B}} Professor Jane
Wardle, an expert on childhood fat, gives her advice-on helping children lose
weight. (1) Should kids ever be made of finish what's on their
plate? — Don't force children to eat more when they say they are full —
otherwise they could lose their ability to naturally regulate what they eat.
Before serving up a second portion, wait a few minutes. It takes some time for
the messages that tell us we have had enough to eat to reach the
brain. (2) Can giving kids food as a reward cause fat? — Using
food as a reward is never a good idea because your child will learn to value
certain "treat" foods and may turn to food for comfort. Use non-food rewards
instead — they don't need to be large material rewards. One of the best
motivators is praise! (3) Is it worth forbidding fattening
foods? — Forbidding certain foods can make them seem more attractive. Teach your
child about the health value of foods, particularly those that are rich in
vitamins and nutrients. Make your home a healthy food zone. Fill up the
fruit bowl instead of buying biscuits and crisps. Your child is likely to model
themselves on your behavior, so choose healthy food options whenever
possible. (4) Should I offer my child a choice of food? —
Research has shown that when there is more choice available we tend to eat more.
Even the sight or smell of tempting food can override the body's natural
mechanism of regulation so we eat when we're not hungry. You might want to offer
your child a choice, but keep the options to a minimum. (5) At
what age should kids be treated for fat? — Parents of even young children can
make sure the family changes to a healthy lifestyle rather than targeting weight
loss specifically. Children grow at different rates and many' overweight
children will "grow out of it" as they grow taller. Few treatments are targeted
at children under the age of seven years. From age 8 to 10, a child who is fat
should have a medical evaluation to assess the severity of the problem. The
older your child is, the less likely they are to grow out of it. A 15-year-old
who is over-weight is likely to remain so in adulthood.
填空题
"body mass index" or BMI can be used to indicate if you are overweight, obese, underweight or normal.
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According to the passage, calorie intake is the most important reason leading people to becoming fat.
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Body parts that gather fat are completely different in male and female.
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For fat children with type Ⅱ diabetes, they may have the symptom of high blood pressure.
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As a measure of body fat, BMI (body mass index) is calculated according to
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Current new weight-loss drugs are not ______ for long-term use because they can give greater weight loss with more side effects.
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Compared with that of a normal child, the number of fat cells of a fat child can increase up to ______.
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If children are ______ eat more by their parent, they can lose their natural regulation of what they eat.
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Parents should ask fat children to eat foods rich in ______ instead of fattening foods.
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A young fat child has more ______ to get rid of fat problem than an old one.