兒童堅持喝牛奶 成年後患腸癌風險小

Children who drink school milk are up to 40 per cent less likely to suffer bowel cancer as adults, a study shows.
　　有研究顯示，年幼時期堅持長期飲用牛奶的兒童在長大成人後患上腸癌的風險要比那些不喝牛奶的人降低至少40%。

A half-pint a day had a strong protective effect against the disease, which kills more than 16,000 a year in the UK.

英國每年約有16000人被腸癌奪走生命，而每天飲用乳製品則會有效的保護身體免遭該疾病的侵害。

The key to milk’s anti-cancer effects appears to lie in daily consumption of it over several years in childhood.

而牛奶的抗癌效果則得益於在兒童時期身體對其每日固定的吸收。

Researchers found pupils were 20 per cent less likely to have a tumour later in life if they had milk every day for at least four to six years, and 40 per cent less likely if they were given milk for six years or more.

研究者們發現，孩子們若堅持飲用牛奶達4到6年的話，他們出現腫瘤方面的疾病會減少20%，如果堅持6年以上者，罹患腸癌的機率就會下降四成。

The study compared 562 bowel cancer sufferers aged 30 to 69 with a similar number of healthy volunteers. Each was quizzed on their health and lifestyle, including how often they drank free school milk.

這場研究將562名年齡在30到69歲間腸癌患者與同等數量的健康人羣進行比較，並且收集了他們的健康及生活方式方面的信息，其中便包括是否在學生時期經常飲用學校提供的免費牛奶。

It is thought long-term milk consumption builds up high levels of calcium in the body, which could protect the bowel against damage or kill cancer cells before a tumour forms.

而長期的飲用乳製品將提高身體的免疫力，從而保護腸胃免遭疾病困擾，或者殺滅導致腫瘤形成的癌細胞。

Professor Brian Cox, of Otago, New Zealand, told the American Journal of Epidemiology that further research may prove that milk could cut the risk of cancer in future generations.

來自新西蘭的布萊恩·考克斯教授解釋到，這項研究或許將爲今後預防癌症的發病率提供幫助與借鑑。

There is continuing controversy over the future of school milk in the UK. Under the Nursery Milk scheme, children under five can have a daily third of a pint of free milk in approved daycare facilities. But primary pupils have not had free milk since 1971.

在英國，“學生奶”一直都是備受爭議的話題之一，按照規定，五歲以下兒童每日都可獲得免費的牛奶，以幫助身體發育，而小學生們自上世紀1971年起就不在享有免費牛奶的優待了。

The best ways to reduce bowel cancer risk are to keep a healthy weight, drink less alcohol and be physically active.

保持身體健康，預防腸癌的方法還包括了維持健康的體重，減少飲用酒精飲品，同時還應經常運動。