2006年VOA标准英语-Study Shows Low Fat Diet Does Not Provide

By Carol Pearson
Washington, DC
09 February 2006
 
watch Low Fat Diet report
 
  
  
The results of the largest study ever concerning diet and cancer in women are in. 

And some doctors are disappointed that there appears to be no link between eating a low fat diet and lowering the risk of breast and colorectal cancer or heart disease.

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Most of the women who took part in the study were overweight or obese¹, and 60 percent were told to continue eating what they wanted. The rest were put on a low-fat diet for a study that lasted 10 years.
 

Joanne Sether Menard   
  
Joanne Sether Menard was one of the participants. She was surprised by the study findings. "I would think that it certainly helps in preventing heart disease,  and maybe even some types of cancer."

But she is wrong. So was Doctor Elizabeth Nabel, Director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

 

Dr. Elizabeth Nabel   
  
"We were surprised by the findings. We went into the study thinking that a diet low in total fat would reduce the risk definitively² for breast cancer, colon³ cancer and heart disease."

The study found that women on the low fat diet had only a slight decrease in breast cancer and heart disease.

Likewise, the diet did not protect women from colorectal cancer.

The results come from the Women's Health Initiative and are published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Researchers from many institutions tracked nearly 49,000 older women who have already been through menopause. 

 
Ross Prentice 
  
Ross Prentice was one of the researchers. "Our study, even though it has yet to yield the dramatic results that some might have hoped for, does include some trends toward positive health benefits."

For instance, some women who ate high fat diets before the study, but changed to low-fat diets during the study, saw a reduction of breast cancer risk of up to 20 percent. 

Regarding heart disease, Mr. Prentice says the type of fat the women ate made a difference. "Among the women who made larger reductions in saturated⁴ and transfat, we saw trends toward reduction in heart disease."

Mr. Prentice says women who were on a low fat diet had no adverse⁵ effects. "So we think women who are currently on a low fat diet can confidently continue on such a diet."

Researchers now want to find out if the types of fat eaten may be more of a factor for heart disease.

And that the amount of fat eaten may be less important than a person's overall weight and exercise level.

1 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。

2 definitively   

adv.决定性地，最后地

参考例句：

• None of the three super-states could be definitively conquered even by the other two in combination. 三个超级国家中的任何一国都不可能被任何两国的联盟所绝对打败。 来自英汉文学
• Therefore, nothing can ever be definitively proved with a photograph. 因此，没有什么可以明确了一张照片。 来自互联网

3 colon   

n.冒号，结肠，直肠

参考例句：

• Here,too,the colon must be followed by a dash.这里也是一样，应当在冒号后加破折号。
• The colon is the locus of a large concentration of bacteria.结肠是大浓度的细菌所在地。

4 saturated   

a.饱和的，充满的

参考例句：

• The continuous rain had saturated the soil. 连绵不断的雨把土地淋了个透。
• a saturated solution of sodium chloride 氯化钠饱和溶液

5 adverse   

adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的

参考例句：

• He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
• The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。