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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently permitted yogurt producers to make a health claim on containers of their products.
美国食品和药物管理局(FDA)最近允许酸奶生产商在其产品的容器上贴健康声明。
Yogurt is a food made from milk and special bacteria.
酸奶是一种由牛奶和特殊细菌制成的食物。
The claim is that eating yogurt might reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, a health problem linked to how the body uses sugar for fuel.
据称，吃酸奶可能会降低患2型糖尿病的风险，这种健康问题与人体如何使用糖作为燃料有关。
Type 2 diabetes is believed to affect about 38 million Americans.
据信，2型糖尿病影响了大约3800万美国人。
Danone North America is the U.S. division of a French food company that makes several popular yogurt products.
达能北美公司是一家法国食品公司的美国分公司，该公司生产几种广受欢迎的酸奶产品。
In 2018, the company asked the FDA for permission to make what is known as a "qualified health claim" about yogurt.
2018 年，该公司请求美国食品和药物管理局允许其对酸奶做出所谓的 “合格健康声明”。
In March, the FDA said it would not object to such a claim.
今年3月，FDA表示不会反对这样的说法。
The food agency said that there is some evidence to support the claim that eating at least 900 grams of yogurt per week might reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
该食品机构表示，有证据表明每周至少食用900克酸奶可能会降低患2型糖尿病的风险。
However, the agency said there is not "significant scientific agreement" about the claim.
然而，该机构表示，关于这一说法并没有达成 “重大的科学共识”。
What is a ‘qualified health claim'?
什么是“合格健康声明”？
A "qualified health claim" means that the health effects have not been supported by wide scientific agreement.
“合格健康声明”意味着健康影响没有得到广泛的科学共识的支持。
Food producers are permitted to make some claims about the healthfulness of their products, but they also must include additional information to prevent misleading the public.
食品生产商被允许就其产品的健康程度做出一些声明，但他们也必须包括额外的信息，以防止误导公众。
The FDA has permitted "qualified health claims" on dietary supplements since 2000 and on foods since 2002.
自2000年以来，FDA已经允许在膳食补充剂上使用“合格健康声明”，自2002年以来，在食品上也允许使用“合格健康声明”。
The policy formed after the FDA faced legal action in the 1990s because it did not permit food companies to put any health claims on products that the agency did not approve.
FDA在20世纪90年代制定的这项政策面临法律诉讼，因为它不允许食品公司在该机构不批准的产品上贴上任何健康声明。
Lawyers successfully argued that such bans violated free speech rights guaranteed by the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
律师们成功地辩称，此类禁令违反了美国宪法第一修正案保障的言论自由权利。
Rather than fight in court, the FDA created a new term, separate from "authorized health claims."
FDA没有在法庭上抗争，而是在 “授权健康声明 ”之外创造了一个新名词。
These claims, the agency says, are supported by scientific agreement.
该机构表示，这些说法得到了科学协议的支持。
Examples of "qualified health claims" include claims that eating some kinds of cocoa might reduce heart disease.
“合格健康声明”的例子包括声称食用某些种类的可可可以减少心脏病。
Another example is that cranberry juice might cut the risk of repeated urinary tract infections in women.
另一个例子是，小红莓汁可能会降低女性反复尿路感染的风险。
In the case of yogurt, Danone submitted information from studies that observed people over time.
就酸奶而言，达能公司提交了对人们进行长期观察的研究资料。
The yogurt company found a link between eating yogurt and fewer signs of diabetes.
这家酸奶公司发现，吃酸奶和较少的糖尿病症状之间存在联系。
The FDA agreed that there is "some credible evidence" that eating yogurt as a whole food has good health effects but not because of any one nutrient that it contains.
FDA认为，有“一些可信的证据”表明，食用酸奶作为一种整体食物对健康有良好的影响，但并不是因为它所含的任何一种营养物质。
In other words, there is no direct evidence that yogurt can prevent diabetes.
换句话说，没有直接证据表明酸奶可以预防糖尿病。
There is only indirect evidence that eating yogurt may be connected to reducing signs connected to an increased risk of the disease.
只有间接证据表明，吃酸奶可能与减少与疾病风险增加有关的体征有关。
The FDA says that it will not object to a qualified health claim rather than authorizing it.
FDA表示，它不反对合格健康声明，但不是授权。
Critics questioned the use of such a claim.
批评人士对这种说法表示质疑。
They say it is not based on research that proves yogurt reduces Type 2 diabetes risk.
他们说，这并不是基于研究证明酸奶可以降低2型糖尿病的风险。
The Center for Science in the Public Interest is a nonprofit advocacy group based in Washington, D.C.
公共利益科学中心是一个总部设在华盛顿特区的非营利性倡导组织。
It is critical of the qualified health claim related to yogurt.
它对酸奶相关的合格健康声明提出了批评。
It said no single food can reduce the risk of a disease that is tied to overall diet.
该组织表示，没有一种单一的食物可以降低与整体饮食有关的疾病风险。
It even warned that the claim might raise the risk of diabetes.
它甚至警告说，这一声明可能会增加患糖尿病的风险。
The center said people might eat more yogurt products that include added sugars including cookies and pretzels—even if they do not have the claim on their containers.
该中心表示，人们可能会吃更多含有添加糖的酸奶产品，包括饼干和椒盐卷饼-即使容器包装上面没有声明。
Marion Nestle is a food policy expert at New York University.
玛丽昂·内斯特尔是纽约大学的食品政策专家。
She said qualified health claims based on limited evidence are "ridiculous on their face."
她说，基于有限证据的合格健康声明 “从表面上看是荒谬的”。
I'm Anna Matteo.
我是安娜 · 马特奥。
