A study from the National Bureau of Economic Research blames 40 percent of the rise in obesity on the ubiquity of supercenters, warehouse clubs and restaurants. Gretchen Cuda Kroen reports Does it feel like everywhere you turn there’s more food? Fast food joints like McDonalds and Taco Bell abound. And big box stores like Costco, Walmart and Target sell mounds of groceries. Just the slightest pang of hunger and around the corner there’s another restaurant or retailer enticing us to buy more food.
Now a study finds that the sheer availability of all this food may be a big part of what is making us fat.
Charles Courtemanch, assistant professor in the school of policy studies at the University of Georgia, says that the steady rise in obesity rates is due, in large part, to the constant incentives to eat.
Courtemanche and his colleagues built a state-wide economic model of economic conditions that influence body weight: things like income and unemployment, food prices, retail outlet presence, as well as gasoline prices and the prevalence of fitness centers. Their data showed that the presence of supercenters, warehouse clubs and restaurants are responsible for more than 40 percent of the rise in obesity. The report was published by the National Bureau of Economic Research.
So if you’re trying to shed a few pounds, and you happen to be looking for a new place to live, pick the house closer to the gym over the one near the Walmart.
疑难词汇：
the National Bureau of Economic Research 国民经济调查局
ubiquity n. 普遍存在;到处存在
supercenter n. (美)大商店区;特大购物中心
warehouse n. 仓库;货栈;大商店vt. 储入仓库;以他人名义购进(股票
groceries n. 杂货;食品;生活用品
availability n. 可用性;有效性;实用性
incentive n. 动机;刺激adj. 激励的;刺激的
gasoline n. 汽油
Walmart n. 沃尔玛(世界连锁零售企业)
Enticing adj. 迷人的;引诱的v. 引诱;诱骗(entice的ing形式)
Sheer adj. 绝对的;透明的;峻峭的;纯粹的adv. 完全;陡峭地vi. 偏航
vt. 使偏航;使急转向n. 偏航;透明薄织物
长难句解析：
1. So if you’re trying to shed a few pounds, and you happen to be looking for a new place to live, pick the house closer to the gym over the one near the Walmart.
难句类型：
If引导的条件状语从句
句子主干：
you happen to be looking for a new place to live
难句拆分：
if you’re trying to shed a few pounds，If引导的条件状语从句
2. Courtemanche and his colleagues built a state-wide economic model of economic conditions that influence body weight: things like income and unemployment, food prices, retail outlet presence, as well as gasoline prices and the prevalence of fitness centers.
难句类型：
That引导的定语从句
句子主干:
Courtemanche and his colleagues built a state-wide economic model of economic conditions
难句拆分：
that influence body weight: things like income and unemployment, food prices, retail outlet presence, as well as gasoline prices and the prevalence of fitness centers，That引导的定语从句;as well as是并列关系。
文本结构特点：
本篇文章主要讲的是肥胖症最近很多发，是由于快餐的兴起，各大超市对消费者各是各样吸引客户购买食物，这些原因都促进了肥胖症的发病率。
好了，以上就是前程百利小编为大家整理的备考托福听力背景材料的学习肥胖流行病。大家学会了吗?希望能在备考托福的路上助大家一臂之力。预助大家取得好成绩。
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