British women's waistlines have grown by 2 inches in the last 10 years

      The average British woman's waistline has grown by 2 inches in 10 years, all thanks to the sedentary lifestyle.

      A study conducted by Cancer Research UK scientists found that the average waistline of British women has increased from 31.8 inches to 33.5 inches.

      Men are also nowhere behind the fairer sex, for the research found that the average man's waistline has grown by 1.4 inches to 38 inches.

      "We know high body weight increases the risk of a number of cancers and it is important we get this message out to as many people as possible,” the Daily Mail quoted Dr Lesley Walker, of Cancer Research UK, as saying.

      "A healthy diet with plenty of fiber, fruit and vegetables, as well as regular exercise can help people lose weight and reduce their risk of cancer,” he added.

      The trend was found to be dominant in the under 45s, where the proportion of men with a body mass index over 35, and of women with a BMI of over 40, has grown two-fold during the decade.

      Lead researcher Professor Jane Wardle said it is possible that young people follow a less healthy lifestyle than their elders.

      "Snacking habits, takeaway meals high in fat and sedentary lifestyles where many people spend both work and leisure time sitting in front of a computer are all likely to contribute to the results."

      She added that genetics also play a vital role in the growing rate of obesity.

      英国女性的平均腰围十年内增加了两英寸，这主要是由久坐的不良生活习惯造成的。

      英国癌症研究中心的科学家们开展的一项调查发现，英国女性的平均腰围从31.8英寸增加到了33.5英寸。

      男性也“不甘示弱”，调查发现，英国男性的平均腰围增加了1.4英寸，达到38英寸。

      《每日邮报》援引英国癌症研究中心的莱斯利•沃尔克博士的话说：“我们知道，体重过大会增加患各种癌症的风险，因此，我们要让尽可能多的人知道这个信息。”

      他说：“多吃纤维、水果、蔬菜等健康食品，以及定期锻炼身体有助于减肥及降低患癌症的风险。”

      这一趋势在45岁以下的人群中尤为明显，体重指数超过35的男性比例及超过40的女性比例在十年中都上升了两倍。

      该研究的负责人简•沃尔德教授说，年轻人的生活方式有可能不如老一辈人健康。

      “爱吃零食和高脂肪的外卖食品，以及久坐的不良生活习惯都可能导致这一结果，很多人在上班及业余时间都爱坐在电脑前。”

      她说，遗传也是肥胖率不断上升的一个关键因素。

      Vocabulary:

      sedentary:sitting for too much time（久坐的；例如：a sendentary job 需要久坐的工作）