Unit 3 Obesity Task 1 QUESTIONS a) Imagine you are a host of a radio programme preparing a podcast on obesity. What questions are you going to build it around? E.g. ...........Where does overweight stop and obesity begin…...........................? ……………Is there an epidemic of obesity in the Czech Republic...……………? …………..Do I have to worry about obesity if my parents are normal weight..? ……………………………………………………………………………………………? ……………………………………………………………………………………………? b) Speaking. Try to get answers to your questions from other students. c) Use the following expressions in sentences in the context of obesity: heredity – energy balance – lifestyle – android/ gynoid obesity e) Ask about the underlined part of the sentence: He stores fat mainly around his abdomen. Washing dishes burns approx. 90 calories per one hour. He lost a lot of weight when he was on a hike in Asia. Jenny´s BMI is very low. Ann joined the fitness club because of problems with her back. Ann joined the fitness club because of problems with her back. Task 2 Reading Obesity epidemic © BBC Learning English 2008 http://www.bbclearningenglish.com/ The world needs to tackle the growing epidemic of obesity with the same sense of global urgency as climate change. The head of the international obesity taskforce, Professor Philip James, said that we needed greater political leadership at the international level. The scale of the obesity epidemic is such that the world needs a global pact on the best ways to tackle it. At present, according to Professor Philip James, an expert on nutrition, obese children outnumber the malnourished by two to one. This worldwide weight gain is sparking a marked rise in some diseases - the number of people with type two diabetes is expected to double to 366 million by 2030. According to Professor James, there is no point in blaming individuals for being overweight - we need real political leadership to change the environment that is rapidly making the world fat. The fat content of food needs to be labelled clearly, advertisers must be prevented from targeting children and governments must encourage people to get out of their cars. Professor James also said that new data from Scandinavia indicates that the weight of a child at the age of 7 to12 predicts whether or not they are going to die early from heart disease or other problems. After you read: a) Are the following sentences true or false? 1. There needs to be a worldwide answer to the current problems of fatness. T/F 2. There are more children in the world who don't have enough to eat than there are those who eat too much. T/F 3. There has been a sharp increase recently in the number of people affected by illnesses associated with being overweight. T/F 4. Professor James says it's important that people take responsibility themselves if they are fat. T/F 5. Professor James says governments should encourage people to exercise more. T/F 6. Professor James said that Scandinavian research shows that you can tell from children's weight if they will have heart problems when they are older. T/F (http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/witn/pdfs/witn_plan_080220_obesity.pdf) b) Complete the missing words in the sentences below: She´s an expert ……….. nutrition. There is no point ………. blaming individuals. People die early ……….. heart disease. This is the best way ………. tackle the problem. There is a rise ……… obesity in the world. Task 3 Listening: Diabetes (http://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english/ep-160707) Listen and answer the questions: 1. What complications can diabetes cause? ……………………………………………………………………….. 2. What are the risk factors of type 2 diabetes? ……………………………………………………………………….. 3. Why are people eating less healthily than they used to? ……………………………………………………………………….. 4. What is processed food? ………………………………………………………………………. 5. Why are people taking less exercise? ……………………………………………………………………….. 6. In what sense is diabetes a continuum? ……………………………………………………………………….. 7. How much money is spent on diabetes annually? ………………………………………………………………………. 8. Give an example of government scheme to encourage healthy eating. ………………………………………………………………………. 9. How many people worldwide suffer from diabetes? ………………………………………………………………………... Task 4 Grammar Choose the correct modal verb in the sentences below: 1. Diabetes is a disease in which the body mustn´t/ cannot control the level of sugar in the blood. 2. You should / would walk or cycle instead of travelling by car or bus. 3. If people change to a healthier lifestyle, we may / can be able to stop the rise in diabetes one day. 4. You don´t have to / mustn´t forget to check your blood sugar regularly. 5. I almost passed out yesterday – I shouldn´t have eaten / may have eaten the cake! 6. She was not feeling well yesterday – she had to go/ must go home. 7. The problem may have been / mustn´t be caused by hypoglycaemia. 8. You were sick? That must have been / should have been terrible for you at this busy time of the year! Which of the modal verbs above do we use to express: a) Ability / lack of ability ……………….. b) Recommendation ……………………….. c) Possibility ……………………………….. d) Prohibition ………………………………. e) Obligation/ lack of obligation …………………….. f) Certainty ……………………………… Complete the sentences using modal verbs can(not), should(not), must(not), (don´t) have to: a) If you want to maintain your weight you ………………………………. b) If you want to put on weight you ……………………………………….. c) If your bones are weak you ……………………………………………... d) If you want to get stronger you …………………………………………. e) If you need to boost your energy you …………………………………… Task 5 Gap-fill Complete the gaps with one of the expressions below. There are two words you will not need. How to Start a Workout Routine If You're Overweight available confusing consider health heavy including obsessed offer reduce risky Starting a new workout routine is hard for everyone, but it can be especially hard if you are overweight or obese. The best types of exercise for obese people aren't always (1) ………… at your local gym or fitness studio. And putting together a program on your own can be both uncomfortable and (2) ………... . But if you are (3) ……………, exercise is important. Workouts will help you to lose weight, can help you to change the way you feel about yourself, boost your mood and improve your (4) ……………… . Why Exercise Matters If You're Overweight You might think that trendy workouts and fitness programs are only for people who are (5) ……………… with fitting into a tiny dress size or skinny jeans. But exercise is healthy for everyone of every size and it can (6) ………………. special benefits for those who are overweight or obese. If you are not sure which category you fall into, you can use a BMI calculator to find out. Carrying too much excess weight puts you at higher risk for certain diseases, (7) ………. high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, sleep apnea and depression. A program of moderate exercise can help you to (8) …………. your risk for disease.