Obesity epidemic propels fitness as career 肥胖流行 健身產業職缺多

As the American waistline continues its spread, fitness is shaping up as one of the hottest careers of this tepid economic recovery.

隨著美國民眾腰圍越來越粗，健身正逐漸成為經濟緩慢復甦下最熱門職業之一。

Employment of fitness trainers and instructors is expected to grow by a brisk 24 percent in the decade to 2020, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as businesses, health professionals and insurance companies take sharper aim at the sedentary lifestyle.

根據美國勞工部勞工統計局，隨著企業、保健專家及保險業者都更清楚聚焦在久坐不動的生活型態，預期截至2020年的10年間，健身教練及指導員的職缺將成長24%。

"Helping individuals be more active is important and fitness professionals can be at the center of that," said Cedric Bryant, chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise （ACE）, which has certified more than 50,000 fitness professionals.

美國運動協會（ACE）科學長塞德里克．布萊恩說：「幫助民眾多多運動很重要，健身專業人士可以扮演關鍵角色。」ACE已經認證超過5萬名健身專業人士。

Obesity rates have sky-rocketed in the last 20 years. More than one third of adults in the United States are obese, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

肥胖率在過去20年飆高，據美國疾病管制暨預防中心指出，美國超過3分之1的成人都有肥胖問題。

Bryant said the health crisis is strongly linked to the lifestyle choices that fitness professionals, such as personal trainers and group fitness instructors, address.（Reuters）

布萊恩說，這種健康危機，與諸如私人教練及團體健身指導員等健身專業人士所對付的生活型態選擇，有強烈的關聯。（路透）

新聞辭典

epidemic：名詞，流行病，指一種疾病在某一地區某一時間內發生，且病例數超過正常預期值。pandemic（大流行），則是指一種傳染病的流行經由人與人間傳播擴散而蔓延至其他地區如一個洲或全世界。

tepid：形容詞，不熱烈的；不熱情的。用法如 a tepid reception （不大熱情的招待）。

sedentary：形容詞，不常運動的、久坐的。例句︰I’m bored with sedentary work.（我對坐著做的工作已經膩了。）