Any doctor or dietician will agree that the solution to the obesity crisis is a healthy diet and regular exercise. But new research indicates that they are not the only factors at play. 任何的医生和营养学家可能都同意这样一种说法,解决肥胖危机的最好方法就是健康的饮食,加上平时坚持锻炼身体。不过据一项最新的研究,导致肥胖的发生可能还有其他的因素。
, j$ ?4 @6 a2 o9 @, [A recent study has suggested that chemicals used in many common beauty products could be quietly contributing to weight gain.
+ V! }0 X, S) e( F& O* y这项最近的研究显示,在美容产品中所广泛使用的某些化学物质可能会导致人体体重的增加。
5 m& y% o+ Z& ^; [1 B5 O& HDoctors at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York say that phthalates, which appear on ingredients lists of around 70 per cent of shampoos, cosmetics and soaps, could be ‘endocrine disruptors’, and should be avoided where possible.
4 s; A8 l% X, Y$ l位于纽约的西奈山医学中心的医生们表示,在香波中都添加了一种名叫邻苯二甲酸盐的华轩元素,它还存在于化妆品和肥皂之中,这种物质“可能会干扰人体内分泌”,大家应该尽量避免使用这样的产品。
2 I% O! u3 h4 {) K* ]6 mThe research echoes previous studies which have shown can cause damage to the system that naturally controls one‘s body weight. " w; m6 g, |) B' a
这项研究呼应了之前的发现,化学物质会伤及人体的神经系统,影响到控制体重的系统。
2 z, D& `8 O" X; N- QThey found that endocrine disruptors can mimic the effects of hormones and affect the performance of the glands that produce them.
8 R3 D* {) P( {3 H0 z研究者们发现,这种干扰正常内分泌的物质的作用类似于荷尔蒙对于人体的效果,影响其腺体所产生的机能。 7 ]4 o" m& D6 d
The Mount Sinai researchers also warned against, Bisphenol-A, a substance present in many food containers, plastic water and baby bottles (indicated by a number 7 printed on the base)。 # v" @4 n! M c2 k
西奈山医学中心的医生还警告到,一种名为双酚A的物质普遍的出现在许多的食物容器之内,其中包括了塑料水瓶和婴儿的奶瓶(表面印有数字7)。
+ o3 o9 b& h8 E# l$ s$ [Pediatrician Maida Galvez, who was involved in the study of 330 children in East Harlem, explained how the research team recorded exposure to these endocrine disruptors in relation to participants’ body weight. % J9 u F% ]$ X
参与这项研究的儿科医生Maida Galvez在研究了330名生活在东哈林区的儿童的健康情况后,表示小组的数据显示了这些干扰内分泌的物质与受测者体重的增加有关。 ' X6 F+ J; f% W. {1 P1 x6 s
She said that if scientists can learn exactly how these substances affect a person‘s development and growth, we will know to avoid them at key stages.
0 i5 w+ y5 w+ E, A: n3 M9 h. g/ G她说,如果科学家能够准确的了解这些物质是如何影响到人体的生长发育的话,他们便能找到避免这一情况发生的重要阶段。
# g2 H( N4 @3 J2 t3 DShe told Grist: ’Even if these chemicals play a small role in obesity, it‘s a preventable exposure.’ $ ~ l! L4 e" |) J1 V6 g* i8 H& \
她说:“即便这些化学元素在人体发胖的过正中扮演的角色有限,但却是可以避免发生的。” 9 U3 `% w3 g: k+ Y& I5 I
To avoid phthalates, Dr Galvez advises consumers to choose fragrance-free products and organic ranges. 2 t- q4 n: H* W
为了避免邻苯二甲酸盐对于身体的影响,消费者应该尽量选择不含香料的产品,最好使用有机的产品。 4 T: Y* a+ J, r9 d0 ~* q
The Mount Sinai findings parallel those from a 2002 study into obesity and the chemicals present in our daily lives.
' g+ Y9 E8 |6 R u; b$ u西奈山医学一项从2002年启动的计划研究了肥胖者在日常生活中所使用的化学物质。 & s/ s. U6 ~/ e0 z# t6 i, S
The researchers, from Stirling University in Scotland, called Bisphenol A and phthalates ‘chemical calories’。 , [$ B% B! \5 G m8 i
苏格兰斯特灵大写的研究者们将双酚A和邻苯二甲酸盐成为“化学卡路里”。 8 @% N4 A3 [8 j$ y* p
Paula Baillie-Hamilton, who lead the study, wrote at the time: ‘Overlooked in the obesity debate is that the earth’s environment has changed significantly during the last few decades because of the exponential production and usage of synthetic organic and inorganic chemicals.‘
" _/ T d7 x6 ], s- Y7 N4 Z主导研究的Paula Baillie-Hamilton说:“在关于肥胖的争论中我们常常忽视一点,在过去的几十年中,地球的欢迎已经发生了巨大的变化,造成这一现象的因素是由于有机和无机的化学品的使用明显的增加了。”
/ H- A8 z `, A. t4 ]0 k& H. fBut Jeanett Tang-Peronard, of the Institute of Preventive Medicine in Copenhagen, who wrote an article on the subject in the new issue of Obesity Reviews, warned that research into the effect of chemicals on body weight is in its early days. 0 X3 w- h( ^. s2 j' Q
不过哥本哈根预防医学研究所的Jeanett Tang-Peronard发表文章指出,探寻化学物质对于体重影响的研究还处于早期阶段。
3 u% R% Q! q( a" z" J+ [She wrote: ’Endocrine disruptors may play a significant role in obesity‘ but ’we are only scratching the surface.‘ $ M9 h% T1 x1 ], ~' j
她写到:“影响内分泌的物质可能会导致体重增加,对此我们的认识还处于表面层次。” |