INDLANAPOLIS—Doctors and health advocates （提倡者）have warned for years that American children are getting fatter. Now even some kids’ teddy bears are packing on the pounds.
But these heavy toys aim to combat（对抗）obesity, not add to it.
Researchers at Indiana State University in Terre Haute tried a small experiment to test the effects of having kids play with heavier toys. They found that 10 children aged 6 to 8 burned more calories and had higher heart and breathing rate when they moved 3-pound toy blocks instead of unweighted blocks.
So could adding a small weight to stuffed animals and other toys help kids get fit?
“This is not going to solve the obesity problem,” said John Ozmun, a professor who did the study with graduate student Lee Robbins. “But it has been possible to make a positive contribution.”
Some experts cautioned that children could hurt themselves by trying to lift too much too soon and said more activity is preferable to heavier toys. But all agreed that childhood obesity is a big problem.
Obesity rate has become three times over the past 40 years for children and adolescents, raising the risk of diabetes（糖尿病）and other health problems. Federal health officials say more than a third of American children are overweight, and about 17 percent are considered obese（肥胖的）.
“Squeezing activity into daily routines can be a good way for children to get more exercise and shed unhealthy pounds,” said Aicia Moag-Stahlberg, who heads Action for Healthy Kids.
“By adding weights, you’re adding some intensity to the action,” she said.
Kara Tucker, youth development coordinator for the National institute for Fitness and Sport in Indianapolis, said active playing helps youngsters work out without realising it.
“Giant soccer is one of my favorites,” Tucker said. “If we told the kids, ‘Hey, you’re going to run up and down the court 20 times,’ they would completely be uninterested. Yet when we put a big soccer ball out there, they will just run forever. They’re having a great time.”
56．What does the passage mainly tell us?
A．American children are getting fatter.
B．New toys are needed for overweight children.
C．Heavier toys help children to combat the obesity problem.
D．Doubts about heavier toys for obese children.
57．What does John Ozmun think of the measure of using heavier toys?
A．It can solve the obesity problem.
B．It is of little use to the obesity problem.
C．It may be of some help to the obesity problem
D．It may hurt children.
58．Some experts think it would be better for obese kids to .
A．play with light toys
B．play with less heavy toys
C．be on diet
D．have more activity
59．Which of the following is true about obese children in the US?
A．Obesity rate has risen by 30% over the past 40 years.
B．There are now three times as many obese children as 40 years ago.
C．One are fewer overweight children than obese children.
D．There are fewer overweight children than obese children.
60．What Tucker said in the last paragraph suggests that .
A．he himself likes playing giant soccer balls best
B．he prefers kids to have active playing
C．kids have no interest in running
D．an activity will not work if kids know the purpose of it
