冷空气可以帮助减肥

 　　冷空气可以帮助减肥

　　WASHINGTON, Jan. 22 (Xinhua) -- Turning down temperatures at home and office may help you fight obesity¹, according to a new study published Wednesday in the U.S. journal Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism².

　　New evidence suggests that regular exposure to mild cold may be a healthy and sustainable way to help people lose weight, researchers from Maastricht University Medical Center in The Netherlands said.

　　In other words, our warm and cozy³ homes and offices might be partly responsible for our expanding waistlines, they added.

　　"Since most of us are exposed to indoor conditions 90 percent of the time, it is worth exploring health aspects of ambient temperatures," first author Wouter van Marken Lichtenbelt of Maastricht University Medical Center said in a statement.

　　"What would it mean if we let our bodies work again to control body temperature? We hypothesize that the thermal⁴ environment affects human health and more specifically that frequent mild cold exposure can significantly affect our energy expenditure⁵ over sustained time periods."

　　Marken Lichtenbelt said they started studying the effects of mild cold about 10 years ago, mostly because it had received so little attention.

　　They found that a more variable indoor temperature, one that is allowed to drift along with temperatures outside, might be beneficial, although long-term effects still await further investigation⁶.

　　A previous study from researchers in Japan revealed a decrease in body fat after people spent 2 hours per day at 17 degrees Celsius⁷ for six weeks.

　　The new study also found that people get used to the cold over time. After six hours a day in the cold for a period of 10 days, people in the study increased heat-generating, calorie-burning brown fat, felt more comfortable and shivered less at 15 degree Celsius.

　　At least in young and middle-aged⁸ people, non-shivering heat production can account for a few percent up to 30 percent of the body's energy budget, they said. That means lower temperatures can significantly affect the amount of energy a person expends⁹ overall.

　　So perhaps, in addition to our exercise training, people need to train ourselves to spend more time in the cold, the researchers said.

　　Managing that in practice, however, might take some convincing. "Indoor temperature in most buildings is regulated to minimize the percentage of people dissatisfied," the researchers wrote.

　　"This results in relatively¹⁰ high indoor temperatures in wintertime. This is evident in offices, in dwellings¹¹ and is most pronounced in care centers and hospitals. By lack of exposure to a varied¹² ambient temperature, whole populations may be prone¹³ to develop diseases like obesity. In addition, people become vulnerable to sudden changes in ambient temperature."

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 metabolism   

n.新陈代谢

参考例句：

• After years of dieting,Carol's metabolism was completely out of whack.经过数年的节食，卡罗尔的新陈代谢完全紊乱了。
• All living matter undergoes a process of metabolism.生物都有新陈代谢。

3 cozy   

adj.亲如手足的，密切的，暖和舒服的

参考例句：

• I like blankets because they are cozy.我喜欢毛毯，因为他们是舒适的。
• We spent a cozy evening chatting by the fire.我们在炉火旁聊天度过了一个舒适的晚上。

4 thermal   

adj.热的，由热造成的；保暖的

参考例句：

• They will build another thermal power station.他们要另外建一座热能发电站。
• Volcanic activity has created thermal springs and boiling mud pools.火山活动产生了温泉和沸腾的泥浆池。

5 expenditure   

n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗

参考例句：

• The entry of all expenditure is necessary.有必要把一切开支入账。
• The monthly expenditure of our family is four hundred dollars altogether.我们一家的开销每月共计四百元。

6 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

7 Celsius   

adj.摄氏温度计的，摄氏的

参考例句：

• The temperature tonight will fall to seven degrees Celsius.今晚气温将下降到七摄氏度。
• The maximum temperature in July may be 36 degrees Celsius.七月份最高温度可能达到36摄氏度。

8 middle-aged   

adj.中年的

参考例句：

• I noticed two middle-aged passengers.我注意到两个中年乘客。
• The new skin balm was welcome by middle-aged women.这种新护肤香膏受到了中年妇女的欢迎。

9 expends   

v.花费( expend的第三人称单数 )；使用（钱等）做某事；用光；耗尽

参考例句：

• The commercial value height also expends demand how many! 商业价值高低也就是消费需求多少！ 来自互联网
• The stimulation expends basis, also lies in enhances the resident income. 刺激消费的根本，还在于提高居民收入。 来自互联网

10 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

11 dwellings   

n.住处，处所( dwelling的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The development will consist of 66 dwellings and a number of offices. 新建楼区将由66栋住房和一些办公用房组成。
• The hovels which passed for dwellings are being pulled down. 过去用作住室的陋屋正在被拆除。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 varied   

adj.多样的，多变化的

参考例句：

• The forms of art are many and varied.艺术的形式是多种多样的。
• The hotel has a varied programme of nightly entertainment.宾馆有各种晚间娱乐活动。

13 prone   

adj.(to)易于…的，很可能…的；俯卧的

参考例句：

• Some people are prone to jump to hasty conclusions.有些人往往作出轻率的结论。
• He is prone to lose his temper when people disagree with him.人家一不同意他的意见,他就发脾气。