Keeping a busy social life amongst lots of friends may keep people slimmer than spending several hours on a treadmill, according to scientists.
科學家研究發現，與在跑步機上鍛鍊幾個小時相比，忙於參加朋友們的社交活動可能更有利於保持苗條身材。
Scientists believe social activities can release a brain chemical that converts white fat into brown fat. Brown fat burns calories to generate heat, while white fat stores calories and makes us fatter.
科學家認為，社交活動能使大腦釋放一種化學物質，將白色脂肪轉化為棕色脂肪，後者可以燃燒卡路裏，產生熱量，而白色脂肪卻儲存卡路裏，使人長胖。
Converting white fat into brown fat is very difficult, normally requiring long-term exposure to cold conditions or activating part of the body's nervous system. However, scientists from Ohio State University think that having a busy social life is an even more effective way of carrying out this conversion.
白色脂肪轉化為棕色脂肪出奇地難，通常需要長期暴露在寒冷的環境中，或者激活人體部分神經系統。但俄亥俄州立大學的科學家認為，繁忙的社交生活能更有效地進行這一轉換。
Tests on mice showed that those lived in large communities and had more space and toys lost half of their abdominal weight in four weeks, even if they ate more than those in boring, lonely environments. Researchers said that social stimulation aids weight loss.
在老鼠身上進行的試驗發現，儘管比生活在單調、孤獨環境中的老鼠的食量大，但那些生活在大環境中、擁有更多空間和玩具的老鼠，四週後腹部脂肪竟然減少一半。研究者認為，社交的興奮感有助於減肥。
However, social activities make some people worried. Study author Dr Matthew During of Ohio State University said, "I'm still amazed at the degree of fat loss that occurs... We often think of stress as a negative thing, but some kinds of stress can be good for your health."
然而，社交活動讓一些人感到焦慮。研究報告的作者、來自俄亥俄州立大學的馬修·迪蘭博士說：“能減掉這麼多體重，我還是很吃驚的……我們通常認為壓力有負面影響，但一些壓力對健康是有好處的。”
Explaining how new technology had threatened face-to-face socializing, he added, "It's not just a sedentary lifestyle and high calorie foods, but an increasing lack of social engagement."
在解釋新科技如何威脅到面對面的社交活動時，迪蘭博士補充說：“這不僅會導致人們更喜歡坐著不動，吃更多高卡路裏食品，而且還會使人們越來越疏于社交。”
Co-author Dr Cao Lei said, "Loneliness is a profound factor for cancer and death; it's on par with cigarette smoking. Social engagement is very important."
合著者曹磊博士說：“孤獨是導致癌症和死亡的深層因素，相當於吸煙。參加社交活動非常重要。”