Unlocking
Word Meanings
Read
the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. diabetes (n.) [dahy-uh-bee-tis] – a disease caused by
high sugar level in the blood
Example:
My mother’s friend has been suffering from diabetes
since she was 22 years old.
2. drawback (n.) [draw-bak] – disadvantage or
inconvenience of something
Example:
The drawback of the new company
policy is that it doesn’t offer discounted prices to loyal customers.
3. idle (adj.) [ahyd-l] – not working or doing
something; not in use
Example:
My nephews were left idle in the
house yesterday when their parents went to the grocery.
4. sedentary (adj.) [sed-n-ter-ee] – requiring a
sitting position
Example:
Office work is usually sedentary.
5. self-esteem (n.) [self-i-steem] – feeling of self-
respect and personal worth
Example:
Positive comments from our manager increase our self-esteem.
Article
Read
the text below.
Research
reveals that spending too much time sitting down can be dangerous. This
increases the risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and death from other causes.
According to
Mark Tremblay, director at the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario Research
Institute, being healthy requires people to not just increase physical activity
but to decrease inactivity as well.
One of the drawbacks of sitting down is that the body burns only a few calories.
Sitting also makes it easier for us to eat than when we are doing physical
activities. Frank Booth, a professor at the University of Missouri -Columbia,
said that when the muscles are idle after a meal, they do not take
up enough sugar from the blood. As a result, most of the sugar stays in the
blood, which may lead to diabetes.
A sedentary lifestyle also has negative
effects on mental health. In a related study, active children have higher self- esteem and better performance in school compared to
less active children. Other researches have also connected inactivity to adult
depression.
However, some activities done while sitting may lessen
harmful effects. Tremblay suggests that challenging mental activities, even if
done while sitting down, reduce the chance of eating because the hands are kept
busy. To avoid the risks from too much sitting, experts advise people to reduce
their chair time and stand up at least once every 15 minutes or so.
Viewpoint
Discussion
Enjoy
a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
Do you often stand
up and walk while you are at home or in the workplace?
·
How often do you
think should people exercise or engage in physical activities?
Discussion
B
·
What are the types
of jobs common in your country?
·
What type of jobs
do you think are not sedentary?