中嘉课堂-child obesity

child obesity

causes,effects ,solutions

Why is child obesity on the rise?

Weight gain occurs when we take in more energy (calories) from food and drink than we use up in our day-to-day activities. Obesity is a multi-factorial condition, which means that a combination of factors, including access to cheap, energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods and drinks, reduced activity and living in ‘obesogenic’ environments  together cooked up a perfect storm. These factors are likely to have given the ideal conditions for the obesity epidemic to take hold.

 

At what age is obesity most likely to be noticed?

Statistics show that children aged 11-15 are more likely to be overweight and obese than younger children. However, weight issues can affect children at any age, and studies show that many parents don’t even recognise when their child is overweight – and so they don’t take any action. However, given the right kind of support, children who are obese can achieve a healthy weight as they grow, and can maintain this into adulthood if healthy habits are learned. 

 

Obesity is common in all social classes, although it is  twice as common among those families in the most deprived areas of England compared to the least deprived. Healthy eating is perceived as being expensive, but there are many ways to make  healthy recipes on a budget.

 

What are the short and long-term effects of childhood obesity?

There are both acute and longer-term  consequences of obesity in childhood; physical, social and psychological well-being can all be undermined. In the short term, obesity can cause problems with bone health and breathing difficulties, and can affect social and psychological well-being, with problems including bullying and self-esteem issues. Obese children are also more likely to become  obese as adults, with increased risk of _diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, as well as joint and muscle problems_.

 

How can I keep my child healthy?

Good nutrition is a cornerstone to children’s growth and development, and for many children, some small changes to food and activity levels will mean that over the growing years, slowing down the rate of weight gain – rather than losing weight per se – will help to achieve a healthy weight for height. Overweight children often know they have a weight problem, and they need to feel supported and in control, so listen to your child if they have any concerns about their weight.

For some children who are already severely obese, more specific help might be needed, and this should be discussed with a GP, who may refer a child to a specific healthy weight programme, led by expert practitioners. Typically, these programmes are family-based and include nutrition, physical activity and behaviour components. The five pillars that can help to tackle child weight issues and obesity include:

* Good role models – eat healthy meals with your child and have fun doing physical activities together.

* Encouraging  60 minutes of physical activity a day  (not necessarily all at once) and limiting the amount of sedentary time (time sitting down).

* Eating ‘me-sized meals’ – child-sized portions. A good tip is to avoid adult-sized plates and start with smaller portions. Let your child ask for more if he or she is still hungry.

* Choosing  healthy meals,  snacks and drinks such as water or milk.

* More sleep and less screen time.

 

 

专栏导语

 

很多学生反应说自己写作时想不到素材和观点。的确，要在考场高压的环境下，用短短三四十分钟时间写出一篇观点清晰、论据充实的文章是非常有挑战的，我们除了要上课掌握方法之外，还需要平时坚持阅读好的文章，积累大量常考话题的素材。所以我做了这个专栏，分析外刊中与写作话题相关的文章，一方面归纳可以供我们写作时使用的背景知识和观点，另一方面积累地道的句型词组，提升语言能力。

 

child obesity 儿童肥胖是雅思托福写作中的常见话题，这篇文章详细分析了儿童肥胖的原因，影响和解决方法，接下来和我一起分析，看看有哪些素材可以摘抄下来用在自己的作文中。 

 

文章结构+话题素材

 

首段：描写了现代社会儿童肥胖很普遍这个现象，引入本篇文章讨论的话题child obesity。

 

第二三段：描述这个现象在变得越来越严重：child obesity is on the rise.

 

第四段：

分析child obesity 的原因； 

先总说 weight gain occurs when we take in more energy (calories) from food and drink than we use up in our day-to-day activities. 当我们从食物饮品中摄入的能量大于在日常活动中消耗的能量时，就会长胖。

然后分析三个具体的原因：

第一: access to cheap, energy-dense and nutrient-poor foods and drinks能吃到便宜能量高，营养丰富的食物和饮品; 

第二： reduced activity活动少；

第三： living in obesogenic environments 住在让人容易长胖的环境中。

 

第五六段：

分析肥胖症在哪个年龄群中最为常见：

children aged 11-15 are more likely to be overweight and obese than younger children. 11-15岁的孩子比更小的孩子更容易得肥胖症。

 

第七段：

总结肥胖症带来的短期和长期的影响。

先总说 physical, social and psychological well-being can all be undermined.身心健康都会被损害。

In the short term, obesity can cause problems with bone health and breathing difficulties, and can affect social and psychological well-being, with problems including bullying and self-esteem issues.短期来看，肥胖症会导致骨头健康受损，呼吸困难，还会导致霸凌和自尊心出问题，影响心理健康。

Obese children are also more likely to become  obese as adults, with increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and some cancers, as well as joint and muscle problems. 从长期来看，肥胖的儿童成年后也更容易肥胖，增加得糖尿病，心脏病，某些癌症，以及关节和肌肉出问题的风险。

 

第八段：

提出具体的解决方法，谈论如何让孩子保持健康，解决肥胖症这个问题。

这个段落针对两个群体：肥胖症严重的以及比较轻微的，分别提出了不同的解决方法。

For many children, some small changes to food and activity levels will mean that over the growing years, slowing down the rate of weight gain. 对于一些孩子来说，稍微改变食物和运动的量就可以让孩子在成长期，减缓长胖的速度。

For some children who are already severely obese, more specific help might be needed, and this should be discussed with a GP, who may refer a child to a specific healthy weight programme, led by expert practitioners. 

对于已经特别肥胖的孩子来说，需要更具体更细致的帮助，这就涉及到和医生讨论了；医生会推荐孩子去一些有专业人士指导的specific healthy weight programme。

These programmes are family-based and include nutrition, physical activity and behaviour components. 

这些方案以家庭为中心，涉及营养，体育活动和行为举止等元素。

 

段落最后详细阐述了父母在家里可以做哪些事情来帮助孩子减肥：

Good role models – eat healthy meals with your child and have fun doing physical activities together. 

充当一个好的楷模，和孩子一起吃健康的食物，一起快乐地做体育活动。

 Encouraging  60 minutes of physical activity a day  (not necessarily all at once) and limiting the amount of sedentary time (time sitting down).

鼓励孩子每天做60分钟的体育活动，减少久坐不动的时间（sedentary time）。

 Choosing  healthy meals,  snacks and drinks such as water or milk.

选择健康的食物，零食和饮料，比如水和牛奶

More sleep and less screen time.

更充足的睡眠更少的看电视，玩手机电脑的时间（less screen time）.