Last Updated: Tuesday, 23 October 2007, 12:43 GMT 13:43 UK
Obesity 'epidemic' turns global
Obesity increases heart disease riskPeople are getting fatter in all parts of the world, with the possible exception of south and east Asia, a one-day global snapshot shows.
Between half and two-thirds of men and women in 63 countries across five continents - not including the US - were overweight or obese in 2006.
The Circulation journal study included over 168,000 people evaluated by a primary care doctor.
Experts said the findings were deeply worrying.
People who are overweight have a higher risk of heart disease, Type II diabetes and other diseases including some cancers.
The International Day for the Evaluation of Obesity (IDEA) study looked at two measures of fatness - waist circumference and a calculation called body mass index or BMI.
A BMI (weight in kg divided by square of height in meters) of 18.5 to 25 is considered healthy.
A BMI over 25 is deemed overweight and greater than 30 is obese.
Pandemic
Just 7% of people in eastern Asia were obese, compared to 36% of people seeing their doctors in Canada, 38% of women in Middle Eastern countries and 40% in South Africa.
Canada and South Africa led in the percentage of overweight people, with an average BMI of 29 among both men and women in Canada and 29 among South African women.
In Northern Europe men had an average BMI of 27 and women 26 - just into the overweight category. In southern Europe, the average BMI was 28. In Australia BMI was 28 for men and 27.5 for women while in Latin America the average BMI was just under 28.
Waist circumference was also high - 56% of men and 71% of women carried too much weight around their middle.
"The study results show that excess body weight is pandemic, with one-half to two-thirds of the overall study population being overweight or obese," said Beverley Balkau, director of research at the French National health research institute INSERM in Villejuif, who led the study.
That puts the rest of the world close to par with the US, long considered the country with the worst weight problem.
An estimated two-thirds of Americans are overweight and a third of these are obese. In the US, the lifetime risk of developing diabetes, is also high - 33% for men and 38% for women.
In the study, the overall frequency of heart disease was 16% in men and 13% in women. There was a high frequency of heart disease in Eastern European men, 27%, and women, 24%, in contrast to Canada where the frequency in women was 8%, and in men 16%.
The frequency of diabetes varied across regions. Overall, 13% of men and 11% of women were diagnosed with diabetes.
Ellen Mason of the British Heart Foundation said: "It is tragic irony that whilst much of the world is starving, many developed countries across the world are in the grips of an obesity crisis.
"Whilst it is vital not to stigmatise people in our society for being overweight, it is important we all know the health risks from being obese. The worrying increase of diabetes in the UK is clearly linked to rising obesity levels and plummeting physical activity levels. Being obese or diabetic, or worse, both, increases your chance of getting heart disease.
"Whilst the UK may not be the worst offender in this global study, we are aware that it's a major health issue in our country. After seeing the heart attack death rate reduce in the UK in the last few years, there is a real risk that this figure could go back up if diabetes and obesity continue to rise as they currently are."
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7057951.stm
Last Updated: Monday, 22 October 2007, 10:36 GMT 11:36 UK
'You tube!' warning to drinkers
People are getting fatter in all parts of the world, with the possible exception of south and east Asia, a one-day global snapshot shows.
Posters will appear on buses across the Forth Valley with the message "You Tube! Don't be Next".
The adverts are based on the website, which has been criticised for showing footage of youths drinking to excess.
Research among youngsters in Falkirk and Stirling show high levels of drinking among 13-15 year olds.
The posters will also feature local telephone numbers for advice about alcohol-related problems.
Alcohol Awareness
The campaign will also target parents in an bid to raise awareness about how to spot alcohol abuse.
NHS Forth Valley chief executive, Fiona Mackenzie, who chairs the substance action team said: "It may appear glamorous for youngsters to drink heavily, especially when amongst friends, but to be under the influence is far from glamorous.
"The long-term effects of excessive alcohol can be dangerous to health. We need to encourage people to drink sensibly and be aware of what damage too much alcohol can cause.
"Parents have a vital role to play in this education."
The bus advertising campaign - timed to coincide with start of Scotland's first Alcohol Awareness Week (21 October to 27 October) will run until the New Year.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/tayside_and_central/7056077.stm
My opinion:
Emotive language stimulates certain feeling in people, but problems occur when it is used to disguise a personal opinion or prejudice as a fact. Euphemisms often mask a an ugly or painful reality with an innocuous or pleasant appearance; however, it can also be used to deliberately mislead people and distort reality. Besides misdirecting our attention, it may disguise or justify wrongful acts. And it also warns us to think critically and not to take statements at face value.The language of advertising is very effective because it appeals to our desires, biases, fears, insecurities, and so on. And you may well think the associations between products and words, and even recall the associations afterward.
2007年10月25日 星期四
2007年10月18日 星期四
English News 3 - biased article
US Dalai Lama award angers China
Last Updated: Thursday, 18 October 2007, 08:58 GMT 09:58 UK
China has stepped up a row with the US over its decision to award the Dalai Lama one of its highest honours, by summoning the US ambassador to protest.
The US has "gravely undermined" ties with Beijing by giving him the Congressional Gold Medal, China said.
The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader has lived in India since a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.
Beijing has long argued that he is seeking to destroy China's sovereignty by pushing for independence for Tibet.
'Blatant interference'
On Wednesday the Dalai Lama met US President George Bush in Washington to receive his award - the highest civilian honour Congress can give.
President Bush called on China to open talks with the Buddhist figurehead, calling him a "universal symbol of peace and tolerance".
The timing was particularly sensitive as China is currently holding its five-yearly Communist Party Congress, where it announces its agenda for the future and chooses new senior leaders.
"The move of the United States is a blatant interference in China's internal affairs," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao.
Mr Liu said the ministry had summoned ambassador Clark T Randt to express "strong protest to the US government" over the issue.He urged the US to take concrete steps to protect Sino-US relations.
US politicians regularly accuse Beijing of turning a blind eye to rights abuses in Burma and Sudan in its pursuit of energy and business deals.
Recently, world leaders have grown more vocal in their concern for human rights in Tibet.
In September, German Chancellor Angela Merkel met the Dalai Lama, incurring Beijing's wrath.
The Tibetan leader has also met Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer and Australian Prime Minister John Howard this year, and is due to meet Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper later this month.
China was outraged when Canada granted the Dalai Lama honorary citizenship last year.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7050258.stm
My opinion:
It was the latest news of political affairs about that Bush gave Dalai Lama the Congressional Gold Medal. According to this news reporter, it was revealed clearly that each stuck to his own view between China and U.S. It was really a controversial problem, and there was no absolute standard for which one was well arranged or improperly managed. However, I found the context of this article biased against all of the responds of China obviously, because it was not only described positively how U.S. concerned for human rights in Tibet and .Dalai Lama’s achievement of his ambition, but also recorded the dialogues of the politicians of China about attacking the action of awarding to the Dalai Lama. It seemed to me that there had a bias in the article. At any rate, both sides should look at this from standpoint of each other before reporting any critical thinking.
Last Updated: Thursday, 18 October 2007, 08:58 GMT 09:58 UK
China has stepped up a row with the US over its decision to award the Dalai Lama one of its highest honours, by summoning the US ambassador to protest.
The US has "gravely undermined" ties with Beijing by giving him the Congressional Gold Medal, China said.
The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader has lived in India since a failed uprising against Chinese rule in 1959.
Beijing has long argued that he is seeking to destroy China's sovereignty by pushing for independence for Tibet.
'Blatant interference'
On Wednesday the Dalai Lama met US President George Bush in Washington to receive his award - the highest civilian honour Congress can give.
President Bush called on China to open talks with the Buddhist figurehead, calling him a "universal symbol of peace and tolerance".
The timing was particularly sensitive as China is currently holding its five-yearly Communist Party Congress, where it announces its agenda for the future and chooses new senior leaders.
"The move of the United States is a blatant interference in China's internal affairs," said Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao.
Mr Liu said the ministry had summoned ambassador Clark T Randt to express "strong protest to the US government" over the issue.He urged the US to take concrete steps to protect Sino-US relations.
US politicians regularly accuse Beijing of turning a blind eye to rights abuses in Burma and Sudan in its pursuit of energy and business deals.
Recently, world leaders have grown more vocal in their concern for human rights in Tibet.
In September, German Chancellor Angela Merkel met the Dalai Lama, incurring Beijing's wrath.
The Tibetan leader has also met Austrian Chancellor Alfred Gusenbauer and Australian Prime Minister John Howard this year, and is due to meet Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper later this month.
China was outraged when Canada granted the Dalai Lama honorary citizenship last year.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7050258.stm
My opinion:
It was the latest news of political affairs about that Bush gave Dalai Lama the Congressional Gold Medal. According to this news reporter, it was revealed clearly that each stuck to his own view between China and U.S. It was really a controversial problem, and there was no absolute standard for which one was well arranged or improperly managed. However, I found the context of this article biased against all of the responds of China obviously, because it was not only described positively how U.S. concerned for human rights in Tibet and .Dalai Lama’s achievement of his ambition, but also recorded the dialogues of the politicians of China about attacking the action of awarding to the Dalai Lama. It seemed to me that there had a bias in the article. At any rate, both sides should look at this from standpoint of each other before reporting any critical thinking.
2007年10月10日 星期三
English News 2
Taxi hike
Taipei city, Taipei County, and Jeelung residents are one step closer to seeing taxi fares climb next month.
A working group has approved a hike in cab fares, and the proposal now needs Taipei City government approval. The proposal will leave the flag rate the same at 70 NT, but the meter will jump at current night time rates, with an additional 20 NT tacked on to night-time rides. That means while just getting on a taxi will cost you the same, that 70 NT only buys 1,250 meters of travel, down from 1,500 meters. The 5-NT ticks will also come faster, after every 250 meters or 1 minute 24 seconds of wait time, down from every 300 meters or 2 minutes of idling.
Overall, this translates into a price hike of about ten percent.
My opinion:
In recent years, prices keep going up; therefore, most of people become poverty-stricken in their own life. Nowadays, with raising the price of oil, the taxi fare is also hiking up. I think that the policy makes some people who take taxi frequently upset very much. Perhaps, due to the policy, people want more to take the public transport including MRT, train and bus, out of which the air pollution could be decreased. However, it is two-sided in effects: Taxi drivers have a great difficulty in their finance. Fluctuations in oil price will have led more and more various problems around us in the future.
Taipei city, Taipei County, and Jeelung residents are one step closer to seeing taxi fares climb next month.
A working group has approved a hike in cab fares, and the proposal now needs Taipei City government approval. The proposal will leave the flag rate the same at 70 NT, but the meter will jump at current night time rates, with an additional 20 NT tacked on to night-time rides. That means while just getting on a taxi will cost you the same, that 70 NT only buys 1,250 meters of travel, down from 1,500 meters. The 5-NT ticks will also come faster, after every 250 meters or 1 minute 24 seconds of wait time, down from every 300 meters or 2 minutes of idling.
Overall, this translates into a price hike of about ten percent.
My opinion:
In recent years, prices keep going up; therefore, most of people become poverty-stricken in their own life. Nowadays, with raising the price of oil, the taxi fare is also hiking up. I think that the policy makes some people who take taxi frequently upset very much. Perhaps, due to the policy, people want more to take the public transport including MRT, train and bus, out of which the air pollution could be decreased. However, it is two-sided in effects: Taxi drivers have a great difficulty in their finance. Fluctuations in oil price will have led more and more various problems around us in the future.
2007年10月4日 星期四
English News 1
Girl swims with bound hands, feet
Story Highlights
1.Father ties 10-year-old daughter's hands, feet and watches her swim in river
2.Chinese man says will help girl achieve dream of swimming English Channel
3.Huang Li swam more than a mile in Xiang River, father says, carried by current
4.A newspaper report says the girl was so cold her face had turned blue
BEIJING, China (AP) -- A father tied his 10-year-old daughter's hands and feet and watched her swim in a chilly southern China river for three hours in a task he said Thursday would help the girl achieve her dream of swimming across the English Channel.
Huang Li swam more than a mile in the Xiang River on Tuesday, traveling with the current, her father said. The girl swam by moving like a dolphin and would sometimes paddle with her bound hands.
"Her swimming skills are perfect and she insisted on doing this," Huang Daosheng said in a telephone interview. The girl, who lives in the city of Zhangjiajie in Hunan province, got the idea after seeing something similar on a local television program, he said.
With the Beijing Olympics less than a year away, sports is grabbing greater attention in an already sports-crazed country. Huang Li's swim is at least the second time in recent months that a child athlete has drawn media attention.
This past summer, 8-year-old Zhuang Huimin ran 2,212 miles from her home on the southern island province of Hainan to Beijing in 55 days, her father trailing behind her on a motor scooter. The run drew criticism from some media commentators as excessive for a young child.
News photos showed Huang Li, wearing a skirted swimsuit, being picked up out of the water by her father. Her ankles were tied together with string and her hands were bound by a strip of cloth. A newspaper report said the girl was so cold her face had turned blue.
"It's not dangerous because, first, her swimming skills are really good and second, I was swimming with her, staying close to her," the father said. "I had her when I was 35, so she is my heart. I would never play around with her life."
The father, a teacher who enjoys swimming, coaches his daughter and said the family does not have enough money for her to have a better coach. The girl started the sport when she was six and her father said her goal is to one day swim across the English Channel.
"She asks me every day, 'Can I achieve this? Is the English Channel wide? Are the waves really big?"' Huang Daosheng said.
http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/asiapcf/10/04/china.swimmmer.ap/index.html
My opinion:
When I read this news on CNN, it really made me shock! How could the father do this unusual venture? Didn’t he feel so bad for his daughter?
As far as I’m concerned the parents are really cruel to their daughter and have an irrational idea. They shouldn’t get ideas into their heads. Besides, the girl is too little to endure such a crazy train. Even though she is looking forward to her achievement what one day she can swim across the English Channel, she must stop taking a risk of swimming with bound hands and feet. I consider that there are other ways to do this exercise which are not dangerous and even more effective than before. Everyone ought to value one’s own life; life is beyond all things.
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