《中英對照讀新聞》Number of fat children in Britian swells
英國胖童人數膨脹

British children are getting fatter in increasing numbers, a national survey said recently, showing that obesity among under-11s is rising fastest in poor, inner-city households.

人數漸增的英國兒童正在變胖，最近的一項全國調查說，這顯示十一歲以下兒童中的肥胖情形，正在市區的貧窮家庭中最快速地增加。

A report by the National Centre for Social Research showed that the prevalence of obesity among children in England aged two-to-10 rose to 13.7 percent in 2003 from 9.9 percent in 1995.

「全國社會研究中心」的一份報告顯示，英國二到十歲兒童肥胖的普遍程度，已經從一九九五年的九•九％，上升到二○○三年的十三•七％。

Obesity levels for children aged two-to-10 were highest in the north east and London, the survey found. Children living in households with the lowest incomes had higher rates of obesity than children from wealthy households.

二到十歲兒童的肥胖等級，在英國東北部和倫敦最高，這項調查發現。生活在最低收入家庭的兒童，肥胖比率比來自富裕家庭的兒童高。

Concern about a child obesity crisis has gripped Britain in recent years as healthcare specialists warn of a generation growing up with little understanding of-or access to-a good diet and regular exercise.

隨著保健專家警告，一個世代的人在對於良好飲食與固定運動缺乏瞭解與取得管道的情況下成長，對兒童肥胖危機的關切，近年來已引起英國重視。

Dictionary-新聞辭典

swell：膨脹

不及物動詞，常見用法有The population swelled much faster than expected（人口膨脹比預期快速許多）。另一常見意思指「腫脹」，如My ankle has swallon up badly（我的腳踝腫得很厲害）。

obesity：肥胖

obesity是名詞，obese是形容詞，如Overweight and obesity are closely linked to type 2 diabetes（過重和肥胖與第二型糖尿病有密切關係）。

prevalence：普遍/普及程度

名詞，字根是prevalent（形容詞，普遍/普及的），例句：The prevalence of diabetes is higher in developed countries than in developing countries（糖尿病的普遍程度，在已開發國家比在開發中國家高）。

grip：抓住（某人的）興趣，為及物動詞，例句：I need a story that grips the reader（我需要一個抓住讀者興趣的故事）。