VOA慢速英语:Health Problems Slow Gains in US Life Spans

Americans spend more on health care than most other people. Yet a new study shows that life expectancy in the United States is falling behind other developed countries.
美国人花在医疗保健方面的钱超过大部分人。然而，一项新研究表明，美国的人均寿命已经落后于其他发达国家。

In two thousand seven an American man could expect to live about seventy-five and a half years. That was less than in thirty-six other countries. Life expectancy for American women was almost eighty-one years. They were also in thirty-seventh place among almost two hundred countries and territories.
2007年，美国男性的寿命大约是75.5岁，低于其他36个国家。美国女性的寿命是接近81岁，在全世界200个国家和地区中排在第37位。

The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington studied the numbers. Professor Ali Mokdad says increases in life expectancy have slowed in the United States compared to other countries.
华盛顿大学健康指标与评估研究所研究了相关数字。Ali Mokdad教授称，同其他国家相比，美国人均寿命的增长速度已经放缓。

ALI MOKDAD: "We've seen an improvement almost everywhere in the world. And in countries that are developed, we're seeing a higher improvement, a faster improvement rate, than we are seeing in the United States."
ALI MOKDAD：“我们看到世界上几乎所有国家的人均寿命都在增长。而在其他发达国家,我们可以看到他们的人均寿命增长的速度超过美国。”

Professor Mokdad says the reason is Americans have made less progress in reducing problems like obesity and high blood pressure.
Mokdad教授称，原因是美国人在减少肥胖和高血压等问题方面取得的进展较小。

The report also identifies wide differences in life expectancy rates within the United States. The researchers created maps of life expectancy in each of the more than three thousand counties.
这份报告还显示美国国内因地区不同，人均寿命也存在很大的差异。研究人员制定了3,000多个郡的人均寿命地图。

Areas with the shortest expected life spans are largely in the South. Ali Mokdad says researchers know some of the reasons.
人均寿命最短的地区主要集中在南方。Ali Mokdad称，研究人员知道其中部分原因。

ALI MOKDAD: "Less education, less income in some of these rural counties, more likely to be smokers, more likely to be obese. They don't have health insurance, or they don't have adequate access to health care, and the quality of medical care is not as good as well."
Ali Mokdad：“其中一些农村地区的人们教育程度和收入水平较低，吸烟和肥胖的可能性更大。他们没有医疗保险，或他们不能获得足够的医疗保健，而且医疗保健的质量也不是那么好。”

In the United States, many public health matters are local responsibilities. Restrictions on public smoking, for example, differ from community to community. Some communities have more bicycle paths and other chances for physical activity, or more places to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.
在美国，许多公共健康事务都是当地的责任。例如，每个社区关于禁止在公共场所吸烟的政策都各不相同。一些地方的自行车道和进行体育活动的机会，以及购买新鲜蔬菜和水果的场所都超过其他地方。

ALI MOKDAD: "A long-term investment in their community to increase physical activity and improve diet are needed in this country.”
ALI MOKDAD：“国家需要在增加体育活动和改善饮食方面进行长期投资。”

The study appears in the journal Population Health Metrics. Journal editor Chris Murray says at least one finding was unexpected.
该研究发表在《人口健康标准》期刊上。期刊编辑Chris Murray称，至少一项发现是出人意料的。

CHRIS MURRAY: "It's a real surprise to us in the study that women are faring so much worse than men."
Chris Murray：“女性的人均寿命缩减的程度超过男性，这真的出乎我们的意料。”

Around the country, American women still live longer than men by five to eight years. But their international ranking has been falling since the nineteen nineties. Dr. Murray says women are increasingly taking risks with their health.
在全国各地，美国女性的人均寿命仍然比男性长5至8年。但是她们的世界排名自90年代以来已经出现下降。Murray称，女性的健康面临的危险逐渐增加。

CHRIS MURRAY: "Women are now smoking more. The obesity epidemic in women is greater than in men. Progress in tackling blood pressure is much worse in women."
Chris Murray：“现在有更多的女性吸烟。女性中的肥胖现象比男性更加严重。女性控制血压方面取得的进展也更差。”

In other news, the first report on the number of American births in twenty-ten shows another decrease. Births have been decreasing since an all-time high of more than 4.3 million in two thousand seven. Federal officials say state health departments reported just over four million births last year.
其他消息，关于2010年美国出生率的第一份报告显示出生率再次下降。自2007年创历史最高纪录，430万婴儿出生之后，出生率持续下降。联邦官员称，国家卫生部门报告，去年出生的婴儿数量刚刚超过400万。