◎國際新聞中心

Being happy and staying positive may help ward off heart disease, a study suggests. US researchers monitored the health of 1,700 people over 10 years, finding the most anxious and depressed were at the highest risk of the disease.

研究顯示，快樂且保持正面態度或許有助對抗心臟病。美國研究人員觀察1700人的健康狀況長達10年，發現最憂慮且最苦悶的人，是心臟病的最高危險群。

They could not categorically prove happiness was protective, but said people should try to enjoy themselves.

他們無法明確地證明快樂是有保護性的，但他們說，人們應該試著自得其樂。

But experts suggested the findings may be of limited use as an individual’s approach to life was often ingrained.

但專家認為，這份發現或許在應用上有其限制，因為一個人對生活的態度通常都已經根深柢固。

At the start of the study, which was published in the European Heart Journal, participants were assessed for emotions ranging from hostility and anxiousness to joy, enthusiasm and contentment.

這項研究發表在歐洲心臟期刊，參與者在一開始接受有關敵意、憂慮、快樂、樂觀與滿足等情緒的評估。

They were given a rating on a five-point scale to score their level of positive emotions. By the end of the analysis, some 145 had developed heart disease-fewer than one in 10.

接著他們依照正面情緒的程度，根據最高5分來評分。分析結果，145人出現心臟病，不到10分之1。

But for each rise in the happiness scale there was a 22% lower risk of developing heart disease.

但是快樂的程度每提高一分，罹患心臟病的風險就低22%。

新聞辭典

ward off：片語，對抗。例句：In the winter I take vitamin C to ward off colds.（冬天裡，我吃維他命C來預防感冒。）

categorically：副詞，明確地。例句：He categorically refused to take part in the project.（他明確地拒絕參與這項計畫。）

ingrained：形容詞，根深柢固的。例句：Such ingrained prejudices cannot be corrected easily.（這樣根深柢固的偏見沒辦法輕易匡正。）

自由時報-990311