Families should reduce exposure to synthetic chemicals found in food colorings, preservatives and packaging materials as a growing body of research shows they may harm children's health, according to a policy statement and technical report from the American Academy of Pediatrics released online.
The statement also suggests improvements to the food additives regulatory system, including updating the scientific foundation of the U. S. Food and Drug Administration safety assessment program and retesting all previously approved chemicals.
Q&A with the lead author
We asked Leonardo Trasande, Council on Environmental Health member and lead author of the policy statement, to tell us more about these concerns.
Q: What are the growing number of studies showing us?
A: Over the past two decades, an accumulating body of science suggests some food additives can interfere with a child's hormones, growth and development.
Potentially harmful effects of food additives are of special concern for children because they are more sensitive to chemical exposures because they eat and drink more, relative to body weight, than adults do and are still growing and developing. An early injury to their organ systems can have lifelong and permanent consequences.
Q: What additives does the statement highlight?
A: The additives of most concern, based on rising research evidence cited in the report, include: Bisphenols, such as BPA, used to harden plastic containers and line metal cans, can act like estrogen in the body which may potentially change the timing of puberty, decrease, fertility, increase body fat and affect the nervous and immune systems. BPA is now banned in baby bottles.
Phthalates, which make plastic and vinyl tubes used in industrial food production flexible, may affect male genital development, increase childhood obesity and contribute to cardiovascular disease. In 2017, the Consumer Product Safety Commission banned the use or some phthalates in child-care products such as teething rings.
1. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics' report, people should _______to cope with the problem of food additives.A.reduce the usage of food additives and establish new food protection system |
B.update the food safety assessment program and check the approved chemicals again |
C.improve the food additives regulatory system and retest all approved chemicals |
D.try to avoid food additives in daily life and revise relevant rules on food additives |
A.children are more sensitive to what they eat and drink than adults |
B.children usually eat and drink more unhealthy food than adults |
C.children are just too young and weak to protect themselves |
D.children's organs are easier to be damaged and hard to recover |
A.2. | B.7. | C.8. | D.1. |
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【推荐1】Organic food, grown without artificial chemicals, is increasingly popular nowadays. Consumers have been willing to pay up to twice as much for goods with organic labels. However, if you think paying a little more for organic food gets you a more nutritious and safer product, then you'd better save your money. A study led by researchers at Stanford University says that organic products aren't necessarily more nutritious, and they're no less likely to suffer from disease-causing bacteria, either.
For their new study, Smith-Spangler and her colleagues conducted a review of two categories of research, including 17 studies that compared health outcomes between consumers of organic against traditional food products, and 223 studies that analyzed the nutritional content of the foods, including key vitamins, minerals and fats.
While the researchers found little difference in nutritional content, they did find that organic fruit and vegetables were 20% less likely to have chemicals remaining on the surfaces. Neither organic nor traditional foods showed levels of chemicals high enough to go beyond food safety standards. And both organic and traditional meats, such as chicken and pork, were equally likely to be harmed by bacteria at very low rates. The researchers did find that organic milk and chicken contained higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat also found in fish that can reduce the risk of heart disease. However, these nutritional differences were too small, and the researchers were unwilling to make much of them until further studies confirm the trends.
Organic food is produced with fewer chemicals and more natural-growing practices, but that doesn't always translate into a more nutritious or healthier product. The U. S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) states that “whether you buy organic or not, finding the freshest foods available may have the biggest effect on taste.” Fresh food is at least as good as anything marketed as organic.
1. What does the underlined sentence in the first paragraph mean? ______A.Organic food helps you save money. | B.Organic food contains much more nutrients. |
C.Organic food is worth the high price. | D.Organic food is not always nutritious. |
A.organic food could reduce the risk of heart disease |
B.traditional food was grown with more natural methods |
C.both organic and traditional food they examined were safe |
D.there was not a presence of any forms of bacteria in organic food |
A.Organic chicken and pork | B.Organic milk and chicken |
C.Traditional chicken and pork | D.Traditional fruit and vegetables |
A.Doubtful | B.Unconcerned | C.Positive | D.Supportive |
【推荐2】Many sugar—sweetened beverages(饮料)have little to offer—no nutritional value and lots of calories, and their harmful health effects have been well—documented. Now, a study links drinking too many sugary beverages—and even 100% natural fruit juices—to an increased risk of early death. Specifically, drinking too much fruit juice could lead to an increased risk of early death ranging from 9% to 42%, according to a study.
Overall, the sugars found in orange juice, although naturally occurring, are pretty similar to the sugars added to soda and other sweetened beverages, the study suggests. “Sugary beverages, whether soft drinks or fruit juices, should be limited,” Jean Welsh, a co—author of the study said.
Seven US cities, including New York and most recently Philadelphia, have levied(征收)taxes on sweetened drinks with added sugar in an effort to reduce consumption. The new study defined “sugary beverages” as both sugar—sweetened drinks, like soda and fruit—flavored drinks, and 100% natural fruit juices that have no added sugar. So how does fruit juice compare to soda? “Previous research has shown that high consumption of sugars like those in soft drinks and fruit juices is linked to several cardiovascular(心血管的)disease risk factors,” Welsh explained.
People who consumed 10% or more of their daily calories as sugary beverages had a 44% greater risk of dying due to a heart disease and a 14% greater risk of an early death from any cause compared with people who consumed less than 5% of their daily calories as sugary beverages, the study showed. Each additional 12—ounce(盎司)serving of fruit juice per day was associated with a 24% higher risk of death from any cause, and each additional 12—ounce serving of sugary beverages per day was associated with an 11% higher risk.
This is one of the first studies to examine the relationship between sugary drinks, including 100% fruit juices, and early death, wrote Marta Guasch—Fere and Dr. Frank B. Hu in an editorial published alongside the new study. “Although fruit juices may not be as harmful as sugar—sweetened beverages, their consumption should be moderated in children and adults, especially for individuals who wish to control their body weight,” Guasch—Fere and Hu wrote.
Welsh said we need to consider both fruit juices and sugar—sweetened beverages when we think about how much sugar we consume each day. Between the two, she was in favor of fruit juices: “Given its vitamin and mineral content, fruit juice in small amounts may have a beneficial effect that isn’t seen with sodas and other sugar—sweetened beverages.”
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?A.Sugar—free drinks basically have no nutritional value. |
B.Natural fruit juices are usually healthier than sugary beverages. |
C.The negative effect of drinking too many beverages remains unknown. |
D.Drinking too much fruit juice may not be a healthy option. |
A.To increase the government’s income. |
B.To let people buy less sweetened beverages. |
C.To urge people to turn to sugar—free drinks. |
D.To increase the consumption of natural juice. |
A.By making comparisons. | B.By giving examples. |
C.By giving advice. | D.By stating the facts. |
A.Avoided. | B.Increased. | C.Reduced | D.Encouraged |
A.sugar is a major cause of cardiovascular disease |
B.the sugar in juice is different from the sugar in sweetened beverages |
C.fruit juices are only recommended when consumed in small amounts |
D.the amount of sugar we consume mainly lies in drinks with added sugar |
【推荐3】Eating as mindfully as we do in a mindfulness course is not realistic for many of us, especially with distractions around us. Here are five simple guidelines to bring our bodies and minds back together.
Let your body catch up to your brain.
Too often, we eat when our mind tells us to. Rather than just eating when we get emotional signals. which may be different for each of us. be they stress, sadness, or even just boredom, we can listen to our bodies. Is your stomach growling? Or do you feel a little dizzy?
Understand your motivations.
As we practice eating more healthily and a greater variety of foods, we are less likely to rely only on our comfort foods, and more likely to enjoy healthy foods, ultimately finding many foods mentally and physically satisfying as opposed to just a few.
Connect more deeply with your food.
Many of us don’t even consider where a meal comes from beyond the supermarket packaging. This is a loss, because eating connects us more deeply to the natural world and people involved in the meal.
Attend to your plate.
Multitasking and eating is a recipe for not being able to listen deeply to our body’s needs and wants.
A.Know your body’s personal hunger signals |
B.Pay special attention to your eating habits |
C.We can find foods that are both satisfying and comforting |
D.When we pause to consider that, it’s hard not to feel grateful |
E.You don’t have to plan your food down to each bite at special occasions |
F.Slowing down is the best way we can get our mind and body to communicate |
G.We’ve all had the experience of going to the movies with our bag full of popcorn |
【推荐1】Nostalgia (怀旧) has become increasingly common in our current climate of unexpected, fast-paced change. More and more people are turning back with longing for what feels like simpler, sweeter times. They collect cassette tapes, manual typewriters even decades-old video games.
Is it a mistake to get too obsessed with the past? Some psychologists warn that too much devotion to the so-called good old days is an escape from reality; it can indicate loneliness or that a person is having a difficult time coping in the present. Psychologist Stephanie Coontz argues that nostalgia distracts us from addressing the problems of modern life and contributes to anxiety, depression, insomnia etc.
But new studies suggest that a modest dose of nostalgia is not only harmless, but actually beneficial. They suggest it helps strengthen our sense of identity and makes us feel more optimistic and inspired. It is also a tool for self-discovery and memories are a psychological immune response that is triggered when you want to take a break from negativity. Interestingly, those happy memories can be particularly beneficial both to kids in their teens and to society’s elders. Recalling our childhood reminds us of “the times when we were accented and loved unconditionally,” says Krystine Batcho, a psychologist. “That is such a powerfully comforting phenomenon, knowing that there was a time in life when we didn’t have to earn our love.” Nostalgia can transform even the most ordinary past into legends which warms the heart and the body. Let’s not forget that nostalgia has been a source of inspiration to innumerable American writers. Mark Twain recalled his boyhood, writing, “after all these years, I can picture that old time to myself now, just as it was then: The white town drowsing in the sunshine of a summer’s morning.”
So go ahead, daydream a little about your best childhood friend, your first car, a long-gone family pet. As Dr. Sedikidessays, “Nostalgia is absolutely central to human experience.” But at the same time, keep these words of wisdom from the great inventor Charles Kettering in mind as well: “You can’t have a better tomorrow if you are thinking about yesterday all the time.”
1. What did some psychologists in paragraph 2 probably agree?A.Nostalgia can cause some mental problems. |
B.Nostalgia makes us devoted to the present life. |
C.Nostalgia shows you are trying to get rid of loneliness. |
D.Nostalgia helps us cope with the difficult time we are going through. |
A.It can enable us to know ourselves better |
B.It can bring us some comfort when we recall |
C.We are likely to gain attention if we recall the happy childhood |
D.We can sometimes break away from negativity with happy memories |
A.The reasons why we should avoid nostalgia. |
B.The great changes nostalgia will bring to you. |
C.The bad memories that always stick around you. |
D.The bad influence of too much devotion to nostalgia. |
A.People tend to be lost in nostalgia. |
B.People actually benefit from nostalgia. |
C.Childhood memories influence present life. |
D.There are some periods when people look back. |
【推荐2】It is generally supposed that the English Romantic Movement began in 1798. However, it is not a sudden outbreak but the result of long and gradual growth and development. The Romanticism is a literary movement which took place in Britain and throughout Europe between 1770 and 1848. Politically, it was inspired by the revolutions in America and France. Emotionally, it expressed an extreme claim of the self and the value of the individual experience together with the sense of the limitless and the transcendental (超验的) . In Britain, Romantic writers of the first generation included Wordsworth and Coleridge, Blake and Burns. The second generation of British Romantics—Byron, Shelley and Keats absorbed these influences, wrote quickly, travelled widely and their life stories and letters became almost as important for Romanticism as their poetry.
Romanticism does not mean one thing or one characteristic. It is, in fact, a collective term to mean certain characteristics, such as mysticism, humanism, supernaturalism, love of beauty, love of nature, love of equality. The chief characteristics of romantic poetry are as the following:
Subjectivity: All romantic literature is subjective. It is an expression of the inner urges of the soul of the artist. The poet gives free expression to his feelings, emotions, experiences, thoughts and ideas and does not care for rules and regulations. The emphasis is laid on inspiration and intuition (直觉).
Love of Nature: Enthusiasm for the beauties of the external world characterizes all romantic poetry. Romantic poetry carries us away from the uncomfortable atmosphere of cities into the fresh company of the outdoor world. All poets were lovers of nature and looked at the beautiful aspects of nature. To them, nature was a friend, a lover, a mother, sister and a teacher.
Imagination and Emotion: The romantic poets laid emphasis on imagination and emotion. The Wordsworth’s romantic poem I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud deals with subjects of creative imagination, childhood memories, beauty of nature, the role of nature as a guiding spirit.
1. What can we know about the English Romantic Movement?A.It emphasized the value of policies. |
B.It originated at the end of 18th century. |
C.It was affected by the Russian revolution. |
D.It was caused by sudden growth and development. |
A.It hides the inner desires of poets. |
B.It focuses on inspiration and reality. |
C.It is controlled by rules and regulations. |
D.It is a term involving some certain features. |
A.Keeping us enjoying the company of nature. |
B.Showing us another way to read novels. |
C.Making us always be enthusiastic. |
D.Asking us to respect city atmosphere. |
A.By asking a question. |
B.By using a quotation. |
C.By giving an example |
D.By making a comparison. |
【推荐3】Embedded (植入的) advertising has been running wild for decades. It forces its way into our daily lives, yet goes largely unnoticed. It’s become so perfectly inescapable that, at the end of the day, you just have to sit back and admire it — or at least accept it.
It used to be that embedded advertisements were harmless. They were obvious, but priceless too. These days, however, people have to draw the line when Tom Hanks makes best friends with a brand-name volleyball on the screen. Pretty soon may come the day when we can’t sit through a Renaissance-set show without local servants sporting the latest mobile phone! Many people have just grown indifferent to the brand promotion. It’s sad that we sometimes have to judge the worth of movies and shows based on how perfectly they’re able to include brands into a storyline.
We can look at The Social Network as an example of how embedded marketing can be destructive or made more pleasant. What could have been a two-hour ad for a famous social media site was instead fashioned into a thematic exploration of the network’s impact on its users. The film examines the networks expansion and makes us question how it has changed the concept of “connectedness” in the so-called information era. We really have to give credit for this.
In such cases the attempt is being made to introduce a certain amount of artfulness where there could have easily been none. Such examples are thought of as “progressive product placement”, which could serve as a model. If today’s embedded advertising can be dealt with in the clever and attractive way, people won’t remain either indifferent to or calm about it.
1. What is the feature of embedded advertising according to the first paragraph?A.Costly. | B.Meaningful. | C.Appealing. | D.Widespread. |
A.To compare two different kinds of ads. |
B.To show effect of present embedded advertising. |
C.To indicate the necessity of ads for products. |
D.To explain the development of embedded advertising. |
A.It is impractical. | B.It is questionable. |
C.It is praiseworthy. | D.It is complicated. |
A.It deals with the ads skillfully. | B.It explores artistic themes in films. |
C.It increases the brand exposure. | D.It introduces the products in detail. |