健康生活:胖子的記憶力思考力下降快

Fatter people are more likely to lose their memories and brain power quicker than those who are thinner, according to British research.

　據英國某一研究，相比瘦子，胖子的記憶力和腦力下降得更快。

Those who are obese, and have other health problems such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, lose their memory and thinking skills almost a quarter faster, found researchers at University College London.

　英國倫敦大學學院的一份研究表明，那些患有如高血壓高膽固醇等健康問題的胖子和那些一般的胖子，比起瘦子來說，他們的記憶力和腦力下降速度要快四分之一。 　

Their study was based on almost 6,500 Whitehall civil servants, whose health was monitored between the ages of 50 and 60.

這份研究以將近6,500名年齡在50歲到60歲之間的白廳（英國）公務員的健康狀況爲研究對象。 　

They were weighed and measured, their blood pressure and cholesterol levels were taken, and they were also asked what medication they were taking.

　研究人員對他們稱了體重，做了測量，記錄了他們的血壓和膽固醇含量，同時還了解了他們目前在做哪些藥物治療。

In addition, they were asked to perform mental tests three times during the decade, which were used to assess memory and other cognitive skills.

　此外，研究對象在這十年時間裏還要參加三次智力測驗，這些測驗結果將作爲評估記憶和其它認知技能的依據。 　　

Of the 6,401 civil servants in the study, nine per cent (582) were obese. Of those, 350 were also classed as "metabolically abnormal" - meaning they had two additional risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, were taking medication for either condition, or were diabetic.

　在參與這項研究的6,401名國家公務員中，9%(即582人)是胖子。有350人的新陳代謝存在異常現象，這也意味着他們將面臨雙重危險，高血壓和高膽固醇。他們需要服用治療高血壓和高膽固醇的藥物。除此以外還有糖尿病患者。

The researchers found the obese tended to lose their mental powers faster than their thinner colleagues, while those who also had additional conditions lost their memory and thinking skills fastest of all.

　研究人員發現胖子比起他們的瘦子同事更容易失去大腦思考能力，而這個人羣中最容易失憶和失去思考能力的是這些還有其它健康問題的胖子。 　　

The latter group experienced a 22.5 percent faster decline on their cognitive test scores over the decade than those who were healthy.

　比起健康的胖子，後一組研究對象（指還有其它健康問題的胖子）在過去的十年時間裏在認知測試中得分下降高達22.5%。 　

Archana Singh-Manoux, of the Paris research institute Inserm, who contributed to the study, said their results indicated the idea that people could be obese but still healthy was flawed.

　巴黎研究機構Inserm的辛格-曼諾(Archana Singh-Manoux)負責這項研究。他說，他們的研究結果表明胖子是健康的這一看法是站不腳的。 　

Shirley Cramer, chief executive of Alzheimer's Research UK, said: "We do not yet know why obesity and metabolic abnormality are linked to poorer brain performance, but with obesity levels on the rise, it will be important to delve a little deeper into this association.

　英國老年癡呆症研究所的主管雪莉·克萊默（Shirley Cramer）說："目前我們還不知道爲什麼肥胖與新陳代謝異常這兩方面會和腦力衰弱有聯繫。但是隨着肥胖程度的增加，進一步深入探究它們之間的關聯將變得很重要。" 　

"While the study itself focuses on cognitive decline, previous research suggests that a healthy diet, regular exercise, not smoking and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol in midlife can also help stave off dementia."

　"雖然這項研究本身關注的是認知能力的減弱，但先前的研究表明在中年時期，健康的飲食、定期鍛鍊、不吸菸、控制血壓和膽固醇等有助於減緩癡呆症的產生。"（