环球英语 — 62：Diabetes in Children

　　Voice 1
Hello. I’m Rachel Hobson.
Voice 2
And I’m Marina Santee. Welcome to Spotlight¹. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.
Voice 1
A young girl reaches for a drink. She has had a long day. She opens a can of Coca Cola. She pours the cool black liquid down her throat. Mmmm - the real thing!
Voice 2
The bright world of advertising²! It successfully³ mixes a dream world with the real one - exciting the mind. Companies spend billions of dollars making advertisements to sell or ‘market’ their products. They use pictures, songs, television, and radio! Good marketing⁴ makes the mind connect goodness⁵ with its product. The problem is that not all products are good - not all are healthy! Some experts believe that advertisements lead children to choose unhealthy food and drinks. People are concerned about children’s health. Some companies like Coca Cola have taken steps to change their marketing and to support healthier ways of life. But are these changes enough? November the fourteenth is World Diabetes⁶ Day. In today’s Spotlight we tell of the experts’ concerns about advertising and children’s health. We tell about the growing problem of diabetes in young people, and what we can do about it.
Voice 1
“Childhood Obesity⁷: the Unacceptable Price of Successful Marketing.” This is the name of a paper by Kaye Mehta. Kaye Mehta is a food expert from a university in Australia. The Diabetes Foundation⁸ published her paper on their website. The paper talks about the increase of fat and sugar in children’s diets. It talks about the increased number of obese⁹ children. When someone is obese, they weigh a lot more than they should. Obesity puts the children’s health in danger. They are more likely to develop conditions such as diabetes. Kaye Mehta wrote that marketing is part of the problem.
Voice 3
‘There is growing concern about links between marketing of food and soft drinks to children - and the global¹⁰ rise in childhood obesity. This is not surprising. Many of the food products and drinks for sale to children are considered unhealthy - high in energy and low in nutrients¹¹.’
Voice 2
Ms Mehta also wrote about ‘product placement’. She wrote that companies ‘place’ products within films and television programmes for children. The companies use games and toys to make children recognise particular products. The children begin to choose those particular companies. And they continue to choose the same companies when they later become adults.
Voice 1
Obesity in children is a growing problem. It is not just a problem in the West. It is a problem everywhere - in Latin¹² America, Asia, even Africa. Increasing numbers of children are developing¹³ the disease¹⁴ diabetes. Ms Mehta says that this will have a negative effect on society in the long term. Obese diabetic children are more likely to develop other conditions when they are older. There will be a rise in health care costs. As adults, they may be unable to work. A decrease in the work force will put pressure on their national economies¹⁵.
Let us take a closer look at diabetes.
Voice 2
In a healthy person, the body changes particular foods into a simple sugar - glucose¹⁶. The glucose moves into the blood. This process causes the pancreas organ to produce insulin. Insulin helps the glucose move from the blood into the body’s cells¹⁷. The body can then use the glucose for energy, or store it. But what happens if the pancreas does not produce enough insulin? Or what happens if the body’s cells do not use the insulin properly? Then, the result is diabetes.
Voice 1
Doctors identify two types of diabetes. Type one is when the body’s protection¹⁸ system wrongly attacks the cells that make the insulin. So the pancreas produces little or no insulin. Experts are still learning¹⁹ more about this diabetes - and it is harder to treat. However, it is far less common that type two.
Voice 2
About ninety percent [90%] of people with diabetes have the type two disease. In type two diabetes, the body does not use insulin correctly. And it does not make enough insulin to deal with this. In most cases type two diabetes is linked to being overweight. Usually, it cannot be cured. People need to take medicine to control it - for the rest of their lives.
Voice 1
In the past, people considered diabetes type two to be an ‘older person’s’ disease. However, health reports state that the number of young people with diabetes is increasing. The International Diabetes Federation²⁰ group said that:
Voice 3
‘The rates of overweight and obese children are particularly worrying... The future does not look good for the next generation. Early deaths and disability will result from too much weight and from diabetes.’
Voice 2
Health experts have issued²¹ many warnings²². Yet many parents are still surprised when they discover their children are at risk from diabetes. One mother wrote to a help service:
Voice 3
‘My husband and I were shocked! Our doctor told us that our little girl is at risk of developing diabetes. I know she is overweight. But she is only thirteen years old. My mother has diabetes type two - but she is in her fifties! Surely²³ our little girl is too young to develop this kind of problem? What can I do to prevent her getting this disease?
Voice 1
The keys to avoiding obesity and diabetes are diet and exercise. The work begins with the parents. Children learn from example. They need to see their parents exercising daily. And they need to see them eating healthy food - and healthy amounts. Parents need to make sure they are informed so they can choose healthy foods! Then, they can educate their children. They need to make the best food choices. Parents need to encourage children to drink water or fruit juices, not sugary drinks.
Voice 2
There is also important work for governments and officials. The International Diabetes Federation, IDF, has worked with the World Health Assembly²⁴. They advise:
Voice 1
Healthy diets at an early age.
Voice 2
Clear food information on products.
Voice 1
Schools should encourage children to join in sports and physical activity. And that means²⁵ having safe play areas around the home and school.
Voice 2
Governments need to carefully consider the effect of marketing on children. They need to ask what effects unhealthy products have on their nations. Are financial gains worth risking the health of future generations?
Voice 1
Obesity and diabetes are growing problems among the world’s young people. Parents, companies, and governments - all have their part to play in stopping this growth²⁶. Then these problems will not steal the future from the next generation.
 

1 spotlight   

n.公众注意的中心，聚光灯，探照灯，视听，注意，醒目

参考例句：

• This week the spotlight is on the world of fashion.本周引人瞩目的是时装界。
• The spotlight followed her round the stage.聚光灯的光圈随着她在舞台上转。

2 advertising   

n.广告业；广告活动 a.广告的；广告业务的

参考例句：

• Can you give me any advice on getting into advertising? 你能指点我如何涉足广告业吗?
• The advertising campaign is aimed primarily at young people. 这个广告宣传运动主要是针对年轻人的。

3 successfully   

adv.圆满地；顺利地；成功地

参考例句：

• The meeting passed off successfully.会议开得很成功。
• At last we successfully put through the business deal.最终我们成功地完成了这桩交易。

4 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

5 goodness   

n.善良，善行，美德

参考例句：

• Would you have the goodness to turn off the radio?劳驾，请你把收音机关上好不好？
• Thank goodness,we've found a cure for the disease.好了，这病有救了！

6 diabetes   

n.糖尿病

参考例句：

• In case of diabetes, physicians advise against the use of sugar.对于糖尿病患者，医生告诫他们不要吃糖。
• Diabetes is caused by a fault in the insulin production of the body.糖尿病是由体內胰岛素分泌失调引起的。

7 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。

8 foundation   

n.[pl.]地基；基础；基金会；建立，创办

参考例句：

• The foundation of the university took place 600 years ago.这所大学是600年前创办的。
• The Foundation gives money to help artists.那家基金会捐款帮助艺术家。

9 obese   

adj.过度肥胖的，肥大的

参考例句：

• The old man is really obese,it can't be healthy.那位老人确实过于肥胖了，不能算是健康。
• Being obese and lazy is dangerous to health.又胖又懒危害健康。

10 global   

adj.全球的；球形的；世界的

参考例句：

• A global environmental meeting is going to be held here.一个全球环境会议将在这里举行。
• The report takes a global view of the company's problems.这份报告对公司的问题作了综合性的论述。

11 nutrients   

n.（食品或化学品）营养物，营养品( nutrient的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a lack of essential nutrients 基本营养的缺乏
• Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream. 营养素被吸收进血液。 来自《简明英汉词典》

12 Latin   

adj.拉丁的，拉丁语的，拉丁人的；n.拉丁语

参考例句：

• She learned Latin without a master.她无师自通学会了拉丁语。
• Please use only Latin characters.请仅使用拉丁文字符。

13 developing   

adj.发展中的

参考例句：

• Transport has always been the key to developing trade.运输一直是发展贸易的关键。
• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。

14 disease   

n.疾病，弊端

参考例句：

• The doctors are trying to stamp out the disease.医生正在尽力消灭这种疾病。
• He fought against the disease for a long time.他同疾病做了长时间的斗争。

15 economies   

n.节约( economy的名词复数 )；经济；经济情况；经济结构

参考例句：

• A customs union would integrate the economies of these countries. 关税联盟会把这些国家的经济紧密结合在一起。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Economies have peaks and troughs. 经济有高峰，也有低谷。 来自辞典例句

16 glucose   

n.葡萄糖

参考例句：

• I gave him an extra dose of glucose to pep him up.我给他多注射了一剂葡萄糖以增强他的活力。
• The doctor injected glucose into his patient's veins.医生将葡萄糖注入病人的静脉。

17 cells   

n.细胞( cell的名词复数 )；小牢房；（修道士或修女住的）小房间；电池

参考例句：

• Once in the bloodstream, the bacteria adhere to the surface of the red cells. 细菌一进入血液里，就附着在红细胞表面上。
• an amorphous mass of cells with no identity at all 不知何物的杂乱一团的细胞

18 protection   

n.保护，防卫，保护制度

参考例句：

• The protection of the country is the duty of everyone.保卫国家是每个人的责任。
• The young in our society need care and protection.我们社会的年轻人需要关怀和照顾。

19 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

20 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

21 issued   

发行者( issuer的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。
• The EU has issued a new set of directives on pollution. 欧盟发布了一系列关于污染的新指令。

22 warnings   

n.发出警告( warning的名词复数 )；征候；（解雇、辞职等的）预先通知；可引以为戒的事（或人）

参考例句：

• Early warnings of rising water levels prevented another major catastrophe. 提前发出的洪水水位上涨警报防止了又一次的重大灾害。
• Warnings were issued to people living downwind of the fire to stay indoors. 已经向住在火势下风处的人们发出不要出门的警告。

23 surely   

adv.确实地，无疑地；必定地，一定地

参考例句：

• It'should surely be possible for them to reach an agreement.想必他们可以达成协议。
• Surely we'll profit from your work.我们肯定会从你的工作中得到益处。

24 assembly   

n.集会(不可数)；会议(可数)，装配(不可数)

参考例句：

• He took his seat in an unobserved corner of the assembly room.他在会议室一个不为人注意的犄角坐下来。
• It was very quiet in the assembly hall.会场里静悄悄的。

25 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

26 growth   

n.生长，栽培

参考例句：

• All living things depend on the sun for their growth.万物靠太阳生长。
• Youth is the time of physical growth.青年时期是长身体的时期。