What is obesity? - Mia Nacamulli

譯者: Helen Chang 審譯者: Regina Chu

The most basic function of bodily fat is self-storage of food reserves.

體脂肪的最基本功能 乃是自我保存備份食物

In prehistoric times, natural selection favored genotypes

在史前時代，物競天擇偏愛

that could endure harsh conditions by stocking the most fat.

能夠承受嚴峻環境 儲存最多脂肪的基因型態

With chronic malnutrition being the norm for most of human history,

人類歷史大多時候 長期的營養不良是常態

genetics evolved to favor fat storage.

所以基因的發展偏愛儲存脂肪

So when did body fat become problematic?

體脂肪變成問題，始自何時呢？

The negative impacts of being overweight were not even noted in medical literature

醫學文獻先前並未注意到 超重的負面影響

until as late as the 18th century.

直至 18 世紀

Then, technological advances coupled with public health measures

技術進步和公共衛生措施

resulted in the betterment of the quantity, quality, and variety of food.

大幅改善食物的數量、質量、和種類

Sustained abundance of good food enabled a healthier population

源源不絕的良好食物

使得健康人口的數目大增

to boom economically.

Output increased, and with it, leisure time

產量增加使得空閒時間

and waistlines.

和腰圍也增加了

By the mid 19th century, being excessively overweight, or obese,

到了 19 世紀中葉 過重或肥胖

was recognized as a cause of ill health,

被認為是健康狀況不佳的原因

and another century later, declared deadly.

再過一個世紀 肥胖被昭示為致命

What is the distinction between being overweight and being obese?

怎麼區分過重和肥胖？

A calculation called the BMI breaks it down for us.

可用身體質量指數 BMI 計算來分類

For example, if someone weighs 65 kilgorams

例如，某人重 65 公斤

and is 1.5 meters tall,

身高 150 公分

they have a BMI of about 29.

那他的 BMI 大約 29

Obesity is a condition of excess body fat

體脂肪過多的狀態

that occurs when a person's BMI is above 30,

BMI 大於 30 的人是肥胖

just over the overweight range of 25 to 29.9.

若介於 25 到 29.9 間就是超重

While BMI can be a helpful estimate of healthy weight,

雖然 BMI 能輔助估算健康的體重

actual body fat percentage can only really be determined

但實際的體脂率必須計入

by also considering information like waist circumference

其他的資訊，例如腰圍

and muscle mass.

和肌肉質量

Athletes, for instance, have a naturally higher BMI.

例如，運動員自然有較高的 BMI

So how does a person become obese?

人是怎麼變肥胖的？

At its most basic, obesity is caused by energy imbalance.

基本上，肥胖是能量失衡造成的

If the energy input from calories

如果吃進的卡路里

is greater than the energy output from physical activity,

超出體力活動用掉的

the body stores the extra calories as fat.

身體就會把多餘的卡路里 以脂肪的形式儲存起來

In most cases, this imbalance comes from a combination of circumstances

多數情況下，失衡來自於環境

and choices.

和選擇

Adults should be getting at least 2.5 hours of exercise each week,

成年人每星期 至少應運動 2.5 小時

and children a whole hour per day.

孩子每天整整一個小時

But globally, one in four adults and eight out of ten adolescents

但全球四分之一的成年人 和十分之八的青少年

aren't active enough.

體力活動不足

Calorie-dense processed foods and growing portion sizes

高熱量的加工食品 和不斷增大的份量

coupled with pervasive marketing

加上無處不在的行銷

lead to passive overeating.

致使被動地暴飲暴食

And scarce resources,

資源稀少

and a lack of access to healthy, affordable foods

和缺乏獲得健康 經濟實惠食品的管道

creates an even greater risk in disadvantaged communities.

使得弱勢群體面臨更大的風險

Yet, our genetic makeup also plays a part.

我們的基因組成也起了一些作用

Studies on families and on separated twins

研究成長在不同家庭的雙胞胎

have shown a clear causal hereditary relationship to weight gain.

明確顯示遺傳和體重增加的關係

Recent studies have also found a link between obesity

最近的研究還發現

肥胖與生活在消化系統內的 細菌物種變異有關聯

and variations in the bacteria species that live in our digestive systems.

No matter the cause, obesity is an escalating global epidemic.

不計起因，肥胖是 不斷升級的全球性流行病

It substantially raises the probability of diseases,

它大大提高罹患疾病的機率

like diabetes,

像糖尿病

heart disease,

心臟病

stroke,

中風

high blood pressure,

高血壓

and cancer.

和癌症

It affects virtually all ages, genders, and socioeconomic groups

它影響了幾乎所有的年齡 性別和社會經濟群體

in both developed and developing countries.

發達國​​家和發展中國家都一樣

With a 60% rise in child obesity globally over just two decades,

在短短二十年間 全球的肥胖兒童增加了 60%

the problem is too significant to ignore.

問題已大到不能被忽視的地步

Once a person is obese, the climb to recovery becomes progressively steeper.

人一旦肥胖 要恢復原來的體重變得非常困難

Hormonal and metabolic changes reduce the body's response to overeating.

荷爾蒙和新陳代謝的變化 降低身體對過量進食的反應

After losing weight, a formerly overweight person burns less calories

曾經超重的人 減肥後做同樣的運動

doing the same exercises

比原本正常有著同樣體重的人

as a person who is naturally the same weight,

消耗掉更少的熱量

making it much more difficult to shed the excess fat.

更難以擺脫多餘的脂肪

And as people gain weight,

隨著人們發胖

damage to signaling pathways makes it increasingly difficult

受損的神經訊號通路

使得大腦更難以衡量 食物的攝入和脂肪的儲存

for the brain to measure food intake and fat storage.

There is, however, some evidence

然而，有證據顯示

that well-monitored, long-term changes in behavior

充分監督和長期的行為改變

can lead to improvements in obesity-related health issues.

可改善與肥胖相關的健康問題

And weight loss from sustained lifestyle changes,

經由持續生活方式改變的減肥

or invasive treatments like bariatric surgery,

或像減肥手術之類的侵入性治療

can improve insulin resistance and decrease inflammation.

可以改善胰島素抗性並減少炎症

What was once an advantage for survival is now working against us.

曾是生存優勢，現在卻對我們不利

As the world's population continues to slow down and get bigger,

隨著世界人口的腳步持續放緩 塊頭越來越大

moving and consciously eating our way towards a healthier weight

活動和合理的進食 是通往健康體重的方式

is essential to our overall well-being.

對我們的整體福祉至關重要

And with the epidemic affecting every country in the world

儘管這種流行病因不同的社經原因 影響著世界上每一個國家

for different socioeconomic reasons,

obesity cannot be seen as an isolated issue.

肥胖不能被看作孤立的問題

More global measures for prevention

全球性的預防措施

are essential to manage the weight of the world.

是管理世界體重的要領