Sample newspaper article

老後の健康維持ということでは、年齢はあまり意味を持たず、肥満は 結局のところそれほど悪いことではないかもしれないという米国の研究が、５月16日に発表された。孤独や絶望感、最近骨折をしたといった 要素のほうが、その後５年以内に死亡するリスクの予測になりそうだと、シカゴ大学の研究者たちが発見した。その研究によると「最も健康な人々は肥満で丈夫だった」とされており、アメリカの高齢者の22％は、肥満率と血圧が高いにもかかわらず、健康という定義に当てはまることが明らかになった。こうした人々は他の人々よりも、臓器系の疾患が 少なく、運動機能や感覚機能、精神的な健康状態も優れていた。 (May 17)

Words and phrases

老後 (rōgo) older years; 健康維持 (kenkō iji) maintaining health; 年齢 (nenrei) age; 意味を持たず (imi-mo-) means little; 肥満 (himan) obesity; 結局 (kekkyoku) after all; 悪いことではない (waru-) not so bad; 米国の研究 (Beikoku-kenkyū) U.S. study; 発表された (happyō-) released; 孤独 (kodoku) loneliness; 絶望感 (zetsubōkan) depression; 最近 (saikin) recently; 骨折をした (kossetsu-) broken a bone; 要素 (yōso) factors; 死亡する (shibō-) dying; 予測になる (yosoku-) predict; 研究者たち (kenkyūsha-) researchers; 発見した (hakken-) found; 最も健康な人々 (motto-kenkō-hitobito) the healthiest people; 丈夫 (jōbu) robust; アメリカの高齢者 (Amerika-kōreisha) older Americans; 血圧 (ketsuatsu) blood pressure; 定義に当てはまる (teigi-a-) fit that definition; 臓器系の疾患 (zōkikei-shikkan) organ system diseases; 少なく (suku-) fewer; 運動機能 (undō kinō) mobility function; 感覚機能 (kankaku kinō) sensory function; 精神的な (seishinteki-) psychological; 優れて (sugu-) better

Sample radio or television report

Rōgo-no kenkō iji-to-iu-koto-de-wa, nenrei-wa amari imi-o motazu, himan-wa kekkyoku-no-tokoro sorehodo warui-koto-de-wa-nai-kamo-shirenai-to-iu Beikoku-no kenkyū-ga, 5-gatsu 16-nichi-ni happyō-saremashita. Kodoku-ya zetsubōkan, saikin kossetsu-o-shita-to-itta yōso-no-hō-ga, sonogo go-nen inai-ni shibō-suru risuku-no yosoku-ni narisō-da-to, Shikago Daigaku-no kenkyūshatachi-ga hakken-shimashita. Sono kenkyū-ni yorimasu-to, “mottomo kenkō-na hitobito-wa himan-de jōbu-datta“-to sarete-ori, Amerika-no kōreisha-no 22 pāsento-wa, himanritsu-to ketsuatsu-ga takai-ni-mo-kakawarazu, kenkō-to-iu teigi-ni atehamaru-koto-ga akiraka-ni narimashita. Kōshita hitobito-wa hoka-no hitobito-yori-mo, zōkikei-no shikkan-ga sukunaku, undō-kinō-ya kankaku-kinō, seishinteki-na kenkōjōtai-mo sugurete-imashita.

Translation

When it comes to maintaining health in your older years, age means little and obesity may not be so bad after all, according to a U.S. study released on May 16. Factors such as loneliness, depression and having broken a bone recently are more likely to predict a person’s risk of dying in the next five years, researchers at the University of Chicago found. “The healthiest people were obese and robust,” said the study, which found that 22 percent of older Americans fit that definition of good health despite higher obesity and blood pressure. They had fewer organ system diseases, better mobility, sensory function and psychological health than others.

Conversation between acquaintances

A: Rōgo-no kenkō iji-to-iu-koto-de-wa nenrei-ya himan-nado-wa amari kankei-nai-sō-desu-ne.

(I heard that age and obesity don’t have much relation to whether you stay healthy in your older years.)

B: Kodoku ya zetsubōkan-nado-no yōso-no-hō-ga, sonogo go-nen inai-ni shibō-suru risuku-no yosoku-ni naru sō-desu.

(Factors such as loneliness and depression are apparently better for predicting a person’s risk of dying in the next five years.)

Conversation between husband and wife

H: Beikoku-no kenkyū-ni-yoru-to, mottomo kenkō-na hitobito-wa himan-de jōbu-datta-sō-da.

(According to a U.S. study, the healthiest people were obese and robust.)

W: Daietto shinakute-mo ii-no-ne.

(That means we don’t have to go on a diet.)

(No. 1311)