閱讀難度：

Japan has long been the world leader in longevity, but some experts are now suggesting that the island nation may soon face a drop in the rankings, MSNBC reported.

The decline could be fueled in part by the country's significant suicide rate, rising body mass index and relatively high rates of smoking, according to Dr. Christopher J.L. Murray, director for the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington in Seattle.

"In an era of economic stagnation, political turmoil, aging populations, and inadequate tobacco control, Japan does not seem to be effective in addressing its new set of health challenges," Murray wrote. （點擊msnbc網站查看原文）

日本將脫離長壽國家

???????據msnbc網站報道，日本人一直被認為是長壽的楷模，但如今一些專家稱這個島國在長壽榜上的排名不久就會下降。

???????西雅圖華盛頓大學健康度量和評估研究所的主任克里斯多夫?默里認為，部分原因是由于日本居高不下的自殺率、上升的體重指數和相對較高的吸煙率。

???????默里寫道：“在這樣一個經濟滯脹、政治混亂、老齡化、控煙不力的時代，日本在解決新一輪健康問題的挑戰這方面的做法似乎并不奏效。”

(China.org.cn September 7, 2011)