研究：爱吃薯条可能更容易抑郁和焦虑

近日，来自浙江大学的研究人员发现，常吃油炸食品可能对心理健康产生负面影响。

该研究发表在《美国国家科学院院刊》（PNAS）上，研究称，经常吃油炸食品的人，尤其是油炸薯条，与不吃油炸食品的人相比，患焦虑的风险高出12%，患抑郁风险高出7%。当然，专家指出，因果关系也可能是反过来的。

🤔️小作业：

1. What is the main focus of the study?

A. The link between fried foods and physical health issues

B. The impact of acrylamide on zebrafish behavior

C. The benefits of reducing fried food consumption for mental health

D. The correlation between diet variety and well-being

2. According to the article, what is acrylamide?

A. A type of fish commonly used in studies on anxiety

B. A chemical formed during frying process

C. A symptom of depression and anxiety

D. A type of comfort food

A. People turn to comfort food to relieve symptoms of anxiety or depression

B. Fried foods directly cause mental health issues

C. Mental health issues lead to a lack of variety in food choices

D. Unhealthy food lowers one's mood and causes mental health issues

无注释原文：

New research suggests that french fries may be linked to depression

From: CNN

French fries — they're greasy, starchy and a comfort food for many.

But reaching for fried foods may have a negative impact on mental health.

A research team in Hangzhou, China, found that frequent consumption of fried foods, especially fried potatoes, was linked with a 12% higher risk of anxiety and 7% higher risk of depression than in people who didn't eat fried foods.

The link was more pronounced among young men and younger consumers.

Fried foods are known risk factors for obesity, high blood pressure and other health effects. These results “open an avenue in the significance of reducing fried food consumption for mental health,” according to the paper published Monday in the journal PNAS.

However, experts who study nutrition said the results are preliminary, and it's not necessarily clear whether the fried foods were driving mental health issues, or people experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety turned to fried foods.

The study evaluated 140,728 people over 11.3 years. After excluding participants diagnosed with depression within the first two years, a total of 8,294 cases of anxiety and 12,735 cases of depression were found in those that consumed fried food, while specifically fried potatoes were found to have a 2% increase in risk of depression over fried white meat.

The study had also found that the participants consuming more than one serving of fried food regularly were more likely to be younger men.

“The human component of this study may indicate just what it purports: that higher intake of fried food increases the risk of anxiety/depression,” said Dr. David Katz, a lifestyle medicine specialist who was not involved in the study, via email.

“However, the causal pathway could just as readily go the other way: people with anxiety/depression turn to ‘comfort food' with increasing frequency for some semblance of relief,” added Katz, founder of the nonprofit True Health Initiative, a global coalition of experts dedicated to evidence-based lifestyle medicine.

Those with underlying symptoms of anxiety and depression could turn to comfort foods as a way of self-medicating, he said.

Unhealthy food and poor nutrition can lower one's mood and progress a mental health condition, as found in a prior study cited within this new one.

The same goes for zebrafish

In the new study, the researchers suggest that acrylamide, a chemical formed during the frying process, especially in fried potatoes, is to blame for the higher risk of anxiety and depression.

In a separate paper referenced in the new study, the researchers exposed zebrafish to the chemical, finding that long-term exposure had caused the fish to dwell in dark zones within the tank, a common sign of a higher anxiety level in the fish.

The zebrafish had also displayed a reduced ability to explore their tanks and socialize, as they did not swim closely with other zebrafish, even though zebrafish are known to form schools with their species.

“Zebrafish were presumably chosen … because they were already known to be vulnerable to acrylamide toxicity, and because their behavioral responses to anxiety are established and consistent — offering a source of both biological and behavioral data,” Katz said.

Dr. Walter Willett said the results “should be regarded as very preliminary, especially the connection with fried food and acrylamide.”

Anxiety and depression on the rise

Zhejiang University researcher Yu Zhang, an author of the study, told CNN in an email that “there is no need to panic about the adverse effects of fried food.” But maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reducing consumption of fried foods may be helpful for mental health in additional to overall health.

The researchers had pointed to a recent rise in depression and anxiety worldwide, with 2020 seeing an increase of 27.6% and 25.6%, respectively. The World Health Organization also estimates that more than 5% of adults suffer from depression, globally, as noted in the paper.

By looking at the effects of fried food consumption in humans and acrylamide exposure in zebrafish, the researchers had compared the two to suggest that frequent consumption of the chemical commonly found in fried food could have a negative effect on mental health.

A lack of variety in food has also been shown to decrease well-being, according to Katz.

“If a take-away is needed it is simply that overall diet quality, and the selection of wholesome foods, matters profoundly to every aspect of health — mental and physical alike,” Katz said.

Willett said there's also the possibility of reverse causation — that people may change their diets because they have depression or anxiety. “These mood changes are, in general, more difficult to study because they may come and go, unlike the diagnosis of a major cancer or heart attack, the study was not designed to address these challenges,” he said.

- ◆ -

注：中文文本为机器翻译并非一一对应，仅供参考

含注释全文：

New research suggests that french fries may be linked to depression

From: CNN

French fries — they're greasy, starchy and a comfort food for many.

炸薯条——油腻、淀粉含量高，是很多人的爽心美食。

greasy /ˈɡriːzɪ, -sɪ/ 1）表示“油腻的”，英文解释为“(of food) cooked with too much oil”，如：greasy chips油腻的炸薯条；

2）表示“多油的；油污的；沾油脂的”，英文解释为“covered in a lot of grease or oil”，如：greasy fingers/marks/overalls 沾满油脂的手指；油渍；满是油污的工作服；

3）表示“（头发或皮肤）油性的；多脂的”，英文解释为“(of hair or skin) producing too much natural oil”，如：long greasy hair 油性长发。

📍有个说法叫the greasy pole字面意思就是充满油的杆子，言外之意，很滑，难以向上爬。是的，他们是有一个孩子了文中提到这么一句话：Babies are expensive – for women more than for men. The combination of maternity leave and childcare responsibilities, the burden of which, fairly or not, tends to fall on the mother, makes the career ladder dangerously greasy. 生孩子的费用很高 -- 对女性来说比对男性来说更高。产假和育儿责任相结合，无论公平与否，负担往往落在母亲身上，这使得职业发展阶梯变得危险而难以向上爬。

make the career ladder dangerously greasy，让职业阶梯变得油滑（难以向上爬），可以猜到也是想要表达类似含义。而the greasy pole本身也可以指“涂油杆（到达专业之巅的艰难道路）；险峻的职业阶梯”（The route to advancement in one's place of employment or education, likened to a greased pole that is slippery and difficult to climb.）

starchy /ˈstɑː.tʃi/ 1）表示“淀粉的”，英文解释为“containing a lot of starch”如：starchy foods 含淀粉的食物。

2）表示“刻板的，拘谨的”，英文解释为“behaving in a formal way and without humour”举个🌰：Museums are trying to shake off their starchy image. 博物馆正努力摆脱其或多或少有点刻板的形象。

comfort food /ˈkʌm.fət ˌfuːd/ 表示“（难过或焦虑时食用的）安慰食品，开心食品”，英文解释为“the type of food that people eat when they are sad or worried, often sweet food or food that people ate as children”

But reaching for fried foods may have a negative impact on mental health.

但是，吃油炸食品可能对心理健康产生负面影响。

A research team in Hangzhou, China, found that frequent consumption of fried foods, especially fried potatoes, was linked with a 12% higher risk of anxiety and 7% higher risk of depression than in people who didn't eat fried foods.

中国杭州的一个研究小组发现，经常食用油炸食品的人，尤其是油炸薯条，与不吃油炸食品的人相比，患焦虑的风险高出12%，患抑郁风险高出7%。

The link was more pronounced among young men and younger consumers.

这种联系在年轻男性和年轻消费者中更为明显。

pronounced /prəˈnaʊnst/ 表示“明显的；明确的”，英文解释为“very noticeable or certain”举个🌰：I'm told I have a very pronounced Chinese accent when I speak English.有人告诉我说，我在说英语时有明显的中式口音。

Fried foods are known risk factors for obesity, high blood pressure and other health effects. These results “open an avenue in the significance of reducing fried food consumption for mental health,” according to the paper published Monday in the journal PNAS.

众所周知，油炸食品是导致肥胖、高血压及其他健康问题的风险因素。这项周一刊登在《美国国家科学院院刊》（PNAS）上的论文称，这些结果“为减少油炸食品摄入对心理健康的重要性开辟了一条道路”。

obesity /oʊˈbiːsəti/ 表示“肥胖”，英文解释为“the fact of being extremely fat, in a way that is dangerous for health”。

However, experts who study nutrition said the results are preliminary, and it's not necessarily clear whether the fried foods were driving mental health issues, or people experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety turned to fried foods.

然而，营养学研究专家表示，研究结果尚属初步，目前还不清楚是油炸食品导致了心理健康问题，还是有抑郁或焦虑症状的人喜欢吃油炸食品。

preliminary表示“预备性的；初步的；开始的”，英文解释为“happening before a more important action or event”如：preliminary results/findings/enquiries 初步结果/发现/调查，举个🌰：After a few preliminary remarks he announced the winners. 说了几句开场白之后，他即宣布优胜者名单。

The study evaluated 140,728 people over 11.3 years. After excluding participants diagnosed with depression within the first two years, a total of 8,294 cases of anxiety and 12,735 cases of depression were found in those that consumed fried food, while specifically fried potatoes were found to have a 2% increase in risk of depression over fried white meat.

这项研究对140,728人进行了11.3年的评估。排除在前两年被诊断出患有抑郁症的参与者后，发现在食用油炸食品的人群中，有8,294例焦虑症和12,735例抑郁症病例，而更具体的，相比于食用油炸白肉的人，食用油炸薯条的人患抑郁的风险增加了2%。

1）表示“排除…；不考虑…；认为…不可能”，英文解释为“to decide that something is not true or possible”举个🌰：We can't exclude the possibility that he is dead. 我们不能排除他已经死亡的可能性。

2）表示“阻止…进入；把…排斥在外”，英文解释为“to prevent someone or something from entering a place or taking part in an activity”举个🌰：Microbes must, as far as possible, be excluded from the room during an operation. 在手术过程中，要尽可能防止细菌进入手术室。

🎬电影《简·爱》（Jane Eyre）中的台词提到：Children, I exhort you to shun her, exclude her, shut her out from this day forth. 孩子们，奉劝你们离她远点，排斥她，从今天起与她隔绝。

The study had also found that the participants consuming more than one serving of fried food regularly were more likely to be younger men.

该研究还发现，那些经常食用一份以上油炸食品的参与者更可能是年轻男性。

serving /ˈsɜː.vɪŋ/ 作名词，表示“（供一人食用的）一份；一客”，英文解释为“an amount of one type of food that is given to one person”举个🌰：The quantities given in the recipe should be enough for four servings. 食谱上给出的量足够4个人吃。

作形容词，表示“目前任职的；（尤指）现役的”，英文解释为“employed at the present time in a particular organization, especially the armed forces”如：serving and retired military officers 现役和退役的军官。

“The human component of this study may indicate just what it purports: that higher intake of fried food increases the risk of anxiety/depression,” said Dr. David Katz, a lifestyle medicine specialist who was not involved in the study, via email.

没有参与这项研究的生活方式医学专家大卫·卡茨（David Katz）博士通过电子邮件表示：“这项研究中与人类相关的部分可能恰恰表明了该研究所声称的：摄入更多的油炸食品会增加患焦虑/抑郁的风险。”

component /kəmˈpəʊ.nənt/ 表示“组成部分；成分；零部件”，英文解释为“a part that combines with other parts to form something bigger”如：television/aircraft/computer components 电视/飞机/计算机零部件。

purport /pəˈpɔːt/ 表示“自称；标榜；声称”，英文解释为“to claim to be sth or to have done sth, when this may not be true”，如：a book that purports to tell the whole truth 一本声称讲出全部真相的书，举个🌰：They purport to represent the wishes of the majority of parents at the school. 他们声称自己代表了该校大多数学生家长的愿望。

🎬电影《真相》（Truth）中的台词提到：The documents purported to show George W. Bush received... preferential treatment during his years in the Texas Air National Guard. 该文件宣称乔治·W·布什...在德州空军国民警卫队服役期间 受到特殊待遇。

intake /ˈɪn.teɪk/ 表示“摄入量”，英文解释为“the amount of a particular substance that is eaten or drunk during a particular time”

“However, the causalpathway could just as readily go the other way: people with anxiety/depression turn to 'comfort food' with increasing frequency for some semblance of relief,” added Katz, founder of the nonprofit True Health Initiative, a global coalition of experts dedicated to evidence-based lifestyle medicine.

“然而，因果关系也可能是相反的：焦虑/抑郁的人越来越频繁地吃‘爽心美食’，以获得某种形式的缓解，”卡茨补充说。卡茨是非营利组织“True Health Initiative”的创始人，该组织是一个致力于循证生活方式医学的全球专家联盟。

causal /ˈkɔː.zəl/ 表示“因果关系（联系等）”，英文解释为“a relationship, link, etc. between two things in which one causes the other”举个🌰：Is there a causal relationship between violence on television and violent behaviour? 电视暴力和暴力行为之间有因果关系吗？

semblance /ˈsɛmbləns/表示“表象；假象；外观；外貌”，英文解释为“a situation in which sth seems to exist although this may not, in fact, be the case”举个🌰：The ceasefire brought about a semblance of peace. 停火协定带来了表面的和平。

coalition /ˌkəʊəˈlɪʃən/ 表示“（不同政党或不同群体的人为特定目标而暂时形成的）联盟，同盟，联合体”，英文解释为“the joining together of different political parties or groups for a particular purpose, usually for a limited time, or a government that is formed in this way”。

Those with underlying symptoms of anxiety and depression could turn to comfort foods as a way of self-medicating, he said.

他表示，那些有潜在焦虑和抑郁症状的人可能把吃‘爽心美食’作为一种自我治疗的方式。

1）表示“暗含的；深层的；潜在的”，英文解释为“real but not immediately obvious”举个🌰：And what might be the underlying significance of these supposedly random acts? 这些看似偶然的行为，其暗含的意义可能是什么呢？

2）表示“以…为基础的”，英文解释为“used to describe something on which something else is based”举个🌰：The price of the investment fell below the value of the underlying assets. 这一投资项目的价格已经跌至低于标的资产价值。

Unhealthy food and poor nutrition can lower one's mood and progress a mental health condition, as found in a prior study cited within this new one.

正如这项新研究中所引用的一项先前研究所发现的，不健康的食物和营养不良会降低人的情绪，并使心理健康状况恶化。

1）表示“援引；传唤，传讯”，英文解释为“to officially name or mention someone or something in a law court, or to officially request someone to appear in a court of law”举个🌰：He has been cited as the co-respondent in the divorce case. 他作为这起离婚案的共同被告被传讯。

2）表示“举例，引证；引用”，英文解释为“to mention something as proof for a theory or as a reason why something has happened”举个🌰：She cited three reasons why people get into debt. 她举出了人们为何负债的3个原因。

The same goes for zebrafish 斑马鱼也一样

In the new study, the researchers suggest that acrylamide, a chemical formed during the frying process, especially in fried potatoes, is to blame for the higher risk of anxiety and depression.

在这项新研究中，研究人员认为，油炸过程中（尤其是在油炸薯条中）形成的化学物质丙烯酰胺（acrylamide）是焦虑和抑郁风险增加的原因。

In a separate paper referenced in the new study, the researchers exposed zebrafish to the chemical, finding that long-term exposure had caused the fish to dwell in dark zones within the tank, a common sign of a higher anxiety level in the fish.

这项新研究所引用的另一篇论文中，研究人员将斑马鱼暴露在这种化学物质中，发现长期暴露会导致斑马鱼停留在水箱内的黑暗区域，这是鱼焦虑程度较高时的常见迹象。

reference /ˈref.ər.əns/ 1）表示“提到；谈到；论及”，英文解释为“a mention of something”举个🌰：Knowing what had happened, I avoided making any reference to (= mentioning) weddings. 因为我知道发生了什么，所以就避开不谈婚礼的事儿。

2）表示“引文出处；参考书目”，英文解释为“a writer or a book, article, etc. that is mentioned in a piece of writing, showing you where particular information was found”

dwell /dwel/ 表示“居住，栖身”，英文解释为“to live in a place or in a particular way”举个🌰：She dwelt in remote parts of Asia for many years. 她在亚洲边远地区居住了很多年。

The zebrafish had also displayed a reduced ability to explore their tanks and socialize, as they did not swim closely with other zebrafish, even though zebrafish are known to form schools with their species.

这些斑马鱼在探索鱼缸和社交方面的能力也有所下降，因为它们不会和其他斑马鱼游得很近，而众所周知，斑马鱼会与同类形成鱼群。

school /skuːl/ 熟词僻义，表示“鱼群；海生动物群”，英文解释为“a large number of fish or other sea creatures swimming in a group”如：a school of dolphins/whales 一群海豚/鲸。

species /ˈspiː.ʃiːz/ 表示“（动植物的）种，物种”，英文解释为“a set of animals or plants in which the members have similar characteristics to each other and can breed with each other”举个🌰：Over a hundred species of insect are found in this area. 这一地区有上百种昆虫。

“Zebrafish were presumably chosen … because they were already known to be vulnerable to acrylamide toxicity, and because their behavioral responses to anxiety are established and consistent — offering a source of both biological and behavioral data,” Katz said.

卡茨说：“选择斑马鱼......大概是因为人们已经知道它们容易受到丙烯酰胺毒性的影响，而且它们对焦虑的行为反应已经确定且一致——提供了生物学和行为数据来源。”

presumably /prɪˈzuː.mə.bli/ 表示“据推测，大概，可能”，英文解释为“used to say what you think is the likely situation”举个🌰：They can presumably afford to buy a bigger apartment. 他们大概买得起一套大一点的公寓。

toxicity /tɒkˈsɪs.ɪ.ti/ 表示“毒性”，英文解释为“the level of poison contained in a drug, or the ability of a drug to poison the body”举个🌰：The patient displays signs of hypothyroidism due to drug toxicity. 因为药物的毒性，患者出现了甲状腺功能衰退症状。

established形容词，1）可以表示“（因为优秀而）被认可的，著名的”，英文解释为“used for describing someone who is known for doing a job well, because they have been doing it for a long time”，如：an established artist/star 著名艺术家/明星。

2）表示“（因长期存在而）已确立的；被承认的；既定的”，英文解释为“accepted or respected because of having existed for a long period of time”举个🌰：There are established procedures for dealing with emergencies. 处理紧急情况有一些既定程序。

Dr. Walter Willett said the results “should be regarded as very preliminary, especially the connection with fried food and acrylamide.”

沃尔特·威利特博士（Dr. Walter Willett）说，结果“应该被视为非常初步的，尤其是油炸食品和丙烯酰胺的联系。”

Anxiety and depression on the rise 焦虑和抑郁呈上升趋势

Zhejiang University researcher Yu Zhang, an author of the study, told CNN in an email that “there is no need to panic about the adverse effects of fried food.” But maintaining a healthy lifestyle and reducing consumption of fried foods may be helpful for mental health in additional to overall health.

该研究的作者、浙江大学研究人员章宇在一封电子邮件中告诉美国有线电视新闻网（CNN），“没有必要对油炸食品的不良影响感到恐慌。”但是保持健康的生活方式和减少油炸食品的摄入除了有助于改善整体健康状况之外，还可能有助于改善心理健康。

表示“不利的；负面的；有害的”，英文解释为“having a negative or harmful effect on something”举个🌰：They received a lot of adverse publicity/criticism about the changes. 这些变化为他们招致种种负面报道/非难。

The researchers had pointed to a recent rise in depression and anxiety worldwide, with 2020 seeing an increase of 27.6% and 25.6%, respectively. The World Health Organization also estimates that more than 5% of adults suffer from depression, globally, as noted in the paper.

研究人员指出，最近全球抑郁症和焦虑症有所上升，2020年分别增加了27.6%和25.6%。正如论文所指出的，世界卫生组织还估计，全球超过5%的成年人患有抑郁症。

By looking at the effects of fried food consumption in humans and acrylamide exposure in zebrafish, the researchers had compared the two to suggest that frequent consumption of the chemical commonly found in fried food could have a negative effect on mental health.

通过分析人类食用油炸食品和斑马鱼接触丙烯酰胺的影响，研究人员对两者进行了比较，表明频繁食用油炸食品中常见的化学物质可能对心理健康产生负面影响。

A lack of variety in food has also been shown to decrease well-being, according to Katz.

卡茨表示，食物选择缺乏多样性也会降低幸福感。

“If a take-away is needed it is simply that overall diet quality, and the selection of wholesome foods, matters profoundly to every aspect of health — mental and physical alike,” Katz said.

卡茨说：“如果说重点是什么的话，那就是整体饮食质量和健康食品的选择对健康的各个方面都有深远的影响——身心都一样。”

take-away/takeaway表示“要点；从…中了解到的主要信息”，英文解释为“a main message or piece of information that you learn from something you hear or read”举个🌰：The take-away from the conference was how competitive the computer science industry has become. 这场会议的主要信息是计算机科学产业的竞争已变得非常激烈。

📍takeaway另一个常见含义：外卖、外卖餐馆（A takeaway is a shop or restaurant which sells hot cooked food that you eat somewhere else. A takeaway is hot cooked food that you buy from a shop or restaurant and eat somewhere else.）

表示“有益的；有益健康的；有道德的；有良好道德影响的”，英文解释为“good for you, and likely to improve your life either physically, morally, or emotionally；morally good; having a good moral influence”举个🌰：He looks like a nice, wholesome young man. 他看起来是个善良而又健康向上的年轻人。

Willett said there's also the possibility of reverse causation — that people may change their diets because they have depression or anxiety. “These mood changes are, in general, more difficult to study because they may come and go, unlike the diagnosis of a major cancer or heart attack, the study was not designed to address these challenges,” he said.

沃尔特·威利特博士说，也存在反向因果关系的可能性——人们可能会因为抑郁或焦虑而改变饮食。“总的来说，这些情绪变化更难研究，因为它们可能来来去去，不像癌症或心脏病发作的诊断，该研究不是为了解决这些挑战，”他说。

1）表示“失败；挫折”，英文解释为“a defeat or failure”举个🌰：They suffered a serious military reverse. 他们遭受了一次重大的军事失败。也可以表示“相反的情况（或事物）；对立面”，英文解释为“the opposite of what has been suggested”

2）作动词，表示“（使）反向；（使）倒转；彻底改变；推翻”，英文解释为“to change the direction, order, position, result, etc. of something to its opposite”举个🌰：The new manager hoped to reverse the decline in the company's fortunes. 新经理希望能够扭转公司江河日下的状况。

causation /kɔːˈzeɪ.ʃən/ 表示“因果过程；因果关系”，英文解释为“the process of causing something to happen or exist”

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