新奇事件簿 寒冷有助减肥（在线收听）

Scientists have discovered that staying in the cold could help us lose weight. Researchers at the University of California found that exposure to the cold increases levels of a protein that helps form brown fat -the type of fat that generates heat and keeps us warm. Brown fat burns energy, which helps us lose weight.White fat stores excess energy, which results in weight gain. The researchers said that because air conditioning and heating give us constant, comfortable temperatures, our body's need for brown fat has decreased.They found that: "Outdoor workers in northern Finland who are exposed to cold temperature have a significant amount of brown fat when compared to same-aged indoor workers."

科学家发现在寒冷环境中能够帮助减肥。加利福尼亚大学的研究人员发现待在寒冷的环境中能够增加脂肪的水平，脂肪能够有助于褐色脂肪的形成，这种脂肪能够产生热量，并使人们保持温度。这种褐色脂肪可以燃烧能量，这将有助于减肥。白色脂肪能够储藏多余的能量，这将让体重上升。研究人员说由于空调和取暖设备能够给予人们源源不断的舒适温度，所以身体所需要的褐色脂肪就会减少。他们发现：“在芬兰北部，由于室外工作的工人能够经常接触到冷空气，他们比同等年龄的室内工作者的褐色脂肪要多。

The research was conducted on two different control groups of mice. One group was injected with the protein that helps create brown fat. This group subsequently gained 30 per cent less weight after both groups were fed high-fat diets. The researchers say this could be good news in the fight against obesity. People who are obese have lower levels of brown fat than thinner people. Head researcher Hei Sook Sul said: "This protein could become an important target for research into the treatment and prevention of obesity and obesity-related diseases." She added: "If you can somehow increase levels of this protein…you could possibly lose more weight even if eating the same amount of food."

这一研究是通过两个不同的老鼠对照组进行的。一个对照组会注射脂肪，这将帮助老鼠产生褐色脂肪。随之，人们给两组老鼠使用了大量的高脂肪食物，第一对照组的体重减轻了30%。研究人员说这对于对抗肥胖症来说是一个好消息。比起体型纤细的人群来说，肥胖者的身体中的褐色脂肪明显减少。研究组长Hei Sook Sul说：“这一蛋白质将成为研究的目标，并纳入到治疗和预防肥胖症，以及其他与肥胖有关的疾病中来。”她补充到：“如果你能通过某种方式增加这一脂肪，即使你吃同等量的食物，你也可能会减少体重。