香港女性成全球最长寿人群

Maybe there's something to bird's nest soup and lotus paste 'longevity' buns, after all. Hong Kong's female octogenarians can now claim the title of the longest-living people on earth.

燕窝和莲蓉寿包或许还是有一些神奇功效的。如今，香港老太太已经称得上是世界最长寿的人群了。

Though Japanese women have ranked as the world's longest living for decades, the expected lifespan for Japanese women dipped to 85.9 years in 2011, down from 86.3 the year prior, in part because of the disasters the country suffered last year. Similar declines in lifespan for men were also recorded, Japan's health ministry reports.

虽然数十年来日本女性一直是世界最长寿人群，但由于日本去年蒙受的灾害等原因，日本女性预期寿命下降到2011年的85.9岁，而此前一年还是86.3岁。据日本厚生劳动省的报告，男性预期寿命也出现了类似的下降趋势。

Hong Kong may be notorious for its smog and stressful lifestyle, but in 2011, the average lifespan of Hong Kong women was a robust 86.7 years, according to the government. Local experts cite the city's advanced, extremely affordable healthcare, high levels of activity and healthy diet as factors.

香港的雾霾和高压生活方式或许是出了名的，但据香港政府数据，2011年这座城市的女性平均预期寿命高达86.7岁。当地专家认为这得益于以下几个因素：香港医疗既先进又极其便宜、市民爱运动以及健康的饮食。

'People in Hong Kong are meticulous with their diet nowadays,' says David Dai, a doctor at the public Prince of Wales Hospital, where he's practiced for 10 years. 'We stick to an Asian diet. Vegetables are not a problem, and our eldest don't [eat] a lot of meat. Food is steamed, or stir-fried. There's not a lot of grease.' The city's fish-heavy diet also promotes health, says Dr. Dai, as do the early morning walks and tai-chi routines of its eldest residents. The fact that so many Hong Kong residents are able to afford the services of a domestic helper also likely contributes to locals' impressive longevity, says Dr. Dai, adding that such attendants in the house can help guard against falls and encourage the elderly to take their medicine on time. Currently, Hong Kong is home to some 300,000 domestic helpers, mostly from the Philippines and Indonesia.

公立威尔士亲王医院(Prince of Wales Hospital)已执业10年的医生戴乐群说，今天的香港人在饮食方面一丝不苟；我们坚守亚式饮食，蔬菜自然不用说，而且我们的老年人吃肉不多；饭菜或蒸或炒，油脂不多。戴乐群说，香港饮食以鱼类为重，而老年市民每天清晨散步、打太极，也都有利健康。戴乐群说，很多香港市民都雇得起家庭佣工，可能也是当地人如此长寿的原因之一，因为这些佣工有助于防止老年人跌倒，并鼓励他们按时服药。目前香港有大约30万家庭佣工，主要来自菲律宾和印度尼西亚。

For Hong Kong residents, affordability of healthcare is key, analysts say. For example, Dr. Dai says, any treatment at a Hong Kong public hospital costs just HK$120 (US$15.50) a day. And if a retiree visits a public hospital hospital, under the city's social security assistance scheme, all their treatments are free. 'Whatever they need─if it's a hip fracture, if they need surgery, all their medicine, all this is provided free of charge,' he says.

分析人士认为，对于香港居民来说，医疗费用便宜至关重要。戴乐群举例说，在香港公立医院就医，不管是什么病，一天都只花120港元（约合15.5美元）。在香港社保援助机制之下，退休人士去公立医院就医费用全免。他说，不管他们需要什么，不管是髋骨骨折还是需要动手术，他们的药品、一切的一切全都是免费的。

Still, government critics argue the city should do more to help the city's elderly, some who are forced by Hong Kong's astronomical housing prices to live in its hot and cramped 'cage homes,' which can measure just a few paces.

但批评者说，香港在帮助老年人方面应该做的更多。由于香港天文数字般的房价，一部分老年人只能住在又热又挤、可能只有几步宽的“笼屋 里。

'Longer life is a blessing, but we don't have any real economic or income protection for the elderly,' says Wong Hung, a professor in the Chinese University of Hong Kong's social work department, who notes that one-third of the city's elderly live in poverty. Though the government offers people aged 65 and above HK$1090 (US$140) in a monthly subsidy, a so-called 'fruit money' stipend, critics say the sum isn't enough to allow them to survive. In the mornings, says Mr. Wong, it's not uncommon to see groups of elderly women hanging around the city's subway stations to try and collect as many free newspapers from vendors as possible, so they can sell them as recycled paper and eke out a living.

香港中文大学(Chinese University of Hong Kong)社会工作学系教授黄洪说，虽说长寿是福，但老年人没有任何真正的经济或收入保障。他提到，香港三分之一的老年人都生活在贫困之中。虽然政府每月为65岁及以上人士提供一笔1,090港元（合140美元）的补助，即“生果金，但批评者说，这笔钱不够维持他们生存。黄洪说，每天早上都不难看到一群群的老太太在地铁站游荡，从商贩那里尽可能多地收免费报纸，以便能够作为再生纸卖掉，靠此勉强度日。

'We should also think about quality of life, not just life expectancy,' says Mr. Wong.

黄洪说，我们不能只看预期寿命，还要考虑生活质量。