Statistics show that Chinese women are 'fatter' than ever before. But most have no idea how to exercise - and would rather take diet pills, fast and play on their phones instead, according to an article published on the Telegraph recently.
统计显示中国女性比以往任何时候都要“更胖”。英国《每日电讯报》最近发表的一篇文章称,大多数中国女性不知道如何进行锻炼——她们宁愿吃减肥药、禁食或是玩手机。
Today, an average woman in China is 1.57 meters tall and weighs 57kg - 1.7kg heavier than a decade ago.
如今,中国女性的平均身高为157公分,平均体重为57公斤——比十年前重1.7公斤。
While 57kg might not seem much by Western standards, it is a dramatic change given the short time span in which it's occurred.
依照西方标准来看,57公斤似乎并不太重,但鉴于其是在短时间内增长至此的,所以改变依然巨大。
A 2009 study showed that British women's weight had increased by 2.5kg from the 1950s. While China does not have an adult obesity problem, yet, there is a worrying trend in child obesity and experts have already warned of "an emerging epidemic". Last year, the Lancet reported that 46 million adults were overweight or obese in China – 27 per cent of women and 28 per cent of men.
2009年的一项研究显示,自20世纪50年代以来,英国女性的体重增长了2.5公斤。虽然中国并不存在成人肥胖问题,但儿童肥胖的趋势令人担忧,并且专家也警告过这是“一种新出现的流行病”。去年,英国医学杂志《柳叶刀》曾报道,中国有0.46亿成年人超重或是肥胖——27%的女性和28%的男性都存在肥胖或超重问题。
Western women see beauty in strength, while “being thin and weak represents femininity and beauty in China", says the article. Even with weight loss being the primary motivation, most Chinese women still opt for 'softer' exercises such as brisk walking, yoga and dancing. Anything that builds strength, or muscle definition, is considered unattractive and masculine.
文章称,西方女性视力量为美丽,而“在中国,纤瘦和柔弱被视为女性特质和美丽”。即使原始动机是减肥,大部分中国女性仍会选择更为“柔和”的锻炼方式,比如健步走、瑜伽和舞蹈。任何锻炼力量或肌肉线条的健身方式,都被视为没有魅力或是太男性化了。
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) also has a big influence on perceptions of the female body and what it's capable of physically. Many in China believe that strenuous exercise is actually bad for women – based on the idea that a woman's body is intrinsically weaker than a man's and requires special nurturing.
中医学对女性身体及其生理机能的认知有着深远影响。许多中国人认为剧烈运动对女性不好——这基于“相较于男性,女性体质更为虚弱,需要特殊调养”这一理念。
The article comments at last that Chinese society is clearly having a hard time accepting that women are fatter. It's happened so fast that attitudes have not had time to catch up.
文章在最后评论说,中国社会显然很难接受女性正变得越来越胖。这发生得太过迅速,人们的态度还来不及转变。