If you think you are healthy, it's likely that your arteries are not, say two nonprofit health organizations.
From November until May, cardiovascular health (心血管健康) awareness group CV Alliance and the Primary Care Foundation conducted examinations and a random survey (隨意調查) of 160 individuals aged 18 to 84, of whom 56 percent were women and almost 80 percent over the age of 40.
After testing them for their vascular age and blood pressure, it was found that just over half (超過一半) had arteries older than their actual ages. Arteries typically stiffen (note 2) due to mechanical stress as one ages. However, a prematurely "aged" (老化) artery gains stiffness from poor diet and little exercise, leading to a buildup (note 3) of fat and cholesterol (脂肪和膽固醛), said diabetes and endocrine (內分泌腺) specialist Peter Tong Chun-yip.
As stiff artery walls cannot contract or expand (縮或漲) to accommodate (note 4) blood, Tong said high blood pressure (高血壓) is usually a good indicator of arterial stiffness. Last year, around 10 percent of the population had high blood pressure, according to the Census and Statistics Department. Of the survey participants, around 30 percent had high blood pressure, though it was also shown that more than half were not aware of (note 5) it.
However, simply knowing the problem doesn't mean anything will be done, said Tong, who is also head of clinical (臨床) operations and the business unit at Qualigenics, a program supported by the Chinese University of Hong Kong. Chan Hong-yiu, who admitted that he did little exercise (note 6 ), smoked and drank, was in his 30s when signs of arterial stiffness began showing up in a test called Pulse Wave Velocity.
From good to better English:
(note 1) healthy=這裡是healthy people (健康的人)的意思。The rich=the rich people。The poor=the poor people。Healthy(形容詞)= 健康的，健壯的、旺盛的。Sing Tao should publish more healthy reading for the young people=星島應多出版 有益青年的讀物。
(note 2) Arteries stiffen=血管硬化。Stiffen(動詞)=使硬化，使挺，使僵硬。stiffen one's attitude=把態度放強硬。Victor threw the report on the desk, stiffened with fear=Victor把報告扔在書桌上，吃驚極了。
(note 3) buildup=組織, 增強, 組成。例句: There was a buildup of tension during the July 1 march protesting against the Hong Kong government (在7.1遊行那天，緊張氣氛具逐漸增強)。Victor’s new book was given a tremendous buildup in the media (傳媒對Victor的新書給予很正面的報導)。
.(note 4) accommodate=順應，調節、供應。accommodate oneself to circumstances=適應(環境)，隨遇而安。
(note 5) aware of=知道，覺得。Ivy becomes aware of Ivan’s absence=Ivy注意到Ivan沒有上班。 Make Bo Bo aware that=提醒Bo Bo注意。
(note 6) little exercise=只有少許運動。Little=小、一點點。There is but little hope that Victor will get a promotion=Victor的升職沒有多少希望。
Victor’s View: It is a wake-up call to learn that half of the adult population’s arteries are “older” than their actual age. The culprit is lack of exercise and poor diet. I believe Hong Kong people eat well but don’t exercise enough. It is time we dusted off our running shoes out and put them on.
(Victor Fung Keung, director of HK Baptist University’s M.A. in international journalism program, has published 3 books on English-enhancement and plans to write 7 more by the end of 2012. Write to him: deanfungenglish@gmail.com)
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