首页
登录
职称英语
When the press release arrived in our inboxes, we knew what would happen nex
When the press release arrived in our inboxes, we knew what would happen nex
游客
2025-04-06
9
管理
问题
When the press release arrived in our inboxes, we knew what would happen next. A Nobel laureate had stated that antioxidant supplements "may have caused more cancers than they have prevented. "
Even the most fad-friendly sections of the UK media were bound to cover the story.
In reality, Professor James Watson was only restating what we at Cancer Research UK have been pointing out for years. Large studies have repeatedly shown that, with the possible exception of vitamin D, antioxidant supplements have negligible positive effect on healthy people, at least in terms of important things such as preventing people getting cancer or dying prematurely. And some supplements—notably vitamins A, E and beta-carotene—even seem to slightly raise the risk of disease and early death.
It’s a topic we at Cancer Research UK come back to again and again on our science blog and on our social media pages. But huge swatches of the public remain convinced that "antioxidant" is a byword for "healthy. "
What’s so interesting about the antioxidant myth is its wider cultural and social dimension. Why is this perception so hard to shift? And is there anything we can do about it?
One possible reason for our firm attitudes is the widespread use of the word "antioxidants" in adverts proclaiming the health benefits of various foods and drinks. This isn’t for want of regulation, and the Advertising Standards Authority have repeatedly upheld complaints about adverts that make unsupported claims about antioxidants’benefits.
But the much weaker claim that a product merely " contains high levels of antioxidants" leaves health claims implicit, and keeps regulators at bay. A brand of "super-broccoli"—launched with much a public spectacle in late 2011—was bred to contain high levels of a chemical that ultimately, according to the product’s website, "boosts our body’s Antioxidant Enzyme levels. " So good it’s capitalized.
So the relentless drip-drip of health product advertising—particularly against a background of continual reports of Britain’s ill-health—makes our trenchant hold on the antioxidants myth all the more understandable. We need this stuff, we’re told.
But there’s probably a deeper reason for our collective refusal to swallow the bitter pill of scientific evidence. The actual, proven things that can reduce our risks of cancer, heart disease, diabetes—and all the other chronic nasties that come with an ageing population— are somewhat more uninteresting. Don’t smoke. Stay in shape. Eat a balanced diet. Limit alcohol intake. Keep active. This is hard work.
And as the resolution-filled new year kicks in, the exciting prospect of a healthier life is replaced by the realization that being healthy is a long-term project. Popping a pill instead of going to the gym is a tempting prospect for many of us. Confirmatory bias is a powerful thing.
But the UK population is ageing, and likely to place a greater burden on the NHS in future. We owe it to ourselves, and those will be paying for our care, to make sure we’re as healthy as possible for as long as possible. Putting our faith in a word, and a pill— however comforting it may sound—to do this for us is a mirage and a fallacy. Antioxidants do not prolong our lives nor prevent cancer, despite what we want to believe. [br] The reference to a Nobel laureate’s comment on antioxidant supplements is to______.
选项
A、introduce a topic
B、reinforce an argument
C、enrich the description
D、confirm a hypothesis
答案
A
解析
作者提及诺贝尔奖获得者评论抗氧化剂补给品,意在引出一个话题。第一段实质上是一个开场白。
转载请注明原文地址:https://tihaiku.com/zcyy/4028994.html
相关试题推荐
Itdidn’thappenovernight.Theproblemofpollutedairhasbeenfesteringf
Itdidn’thappenovernight.Theproblemofpollutedairhasbeenfesteringf
Itdidn’thappenovernight.Theproblemofpollutedairhasbeenfesteringf
Itdidn’thappenovernight.Theproblemofpollutedairhasbeenfesteringf
InJuly,almostunnoticedbythenationalpress,adeadlybirdvirusarrived
InJuly,almostunnoticedbythenationalpress,adeadlybirdvirusarrived
"Ipromise.""!sweartoyouit’llneverhappenagain.""lgiveyoumyword""H
"Ipromise.""!sweartoyouit’llneverhappenagain.""lgiveyoumyword""H
"Ipromise.""!sweartoyouit’llneverhappenagain.""lgiveyoumyword""H
IarrivedattheairportsolatethatI_____missedtheplane.A、onlyB、quiteC、na
随机试题
WhichofthefollowingisTRUEaboutSyriatoday?[originaltext]Ontheeaster
Invain______togetthemachinesoldyesterday.A、hetriedB、hadhetriedC、heha
[originaltext]Whilemostpeoplewerewarminguptheircars,Bruce,myhusba
正常时中性粒细胞约占白细胞总数的A.0-1% B.0-7% C.2%-
下列有关期现套利的说法正确的有( )。 Ⅰ.期现套利是交易者利用期货市场和现
空腹听诊出现振水音,可见于A.肝硬化腹水 B.肾病综合征 C.结核性腹膜炎
坑内抽水,地下水绕坑壁钢板桩底稳定渗流,土质均匀,则关于流速变化的下列论述中,正
2×17年3月,甲公司与乙公司的一项厂房经营租赁合同即将到期。该厂房按照成本模式
银行承兑汇票的承兑银行,应当按照票面金额向出票人收取()的手续费。A:千分之一
肺癌肺外表现(副癌综合征)的叙述,下述哪项正确A.出现副癌综合征提示肺癌晚期
最新回复
(
0
)