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It's a given that most babies wear diapers, in western cultures anyway. But diapers may trap more than waste—they may also confine a baby's ability to walk.
眾所周知，大多數嬰兒都會戴尿布，反正在西方文化里是這樣。但是尿布可不僅僅只是鎖住廢水——它們還有可能限制嬰兒的行走能力。
Scientists compared the walking gaits of 60 babies who were either naked, wore a thin disposable diaper or a thick cloth diaper. Half the babies were 13-month-old novice walkers and the other half 19-month-old experienced walkers.
科學家們比較了60個嬰兒走路的行走步態，這些嬰兒要么不戴尿布，要么戴上了薄的尿不濕，要么戴上了厚的棉尿布。其中一半的嬰兒只有13個月大，剛學著走路，另一半嬰兒19個月大，已經會走路了。
When the 30 13-month-olds walked naked only 10 fell, but while wearing the cloth diaper 21 of them fell, and while wearing the disposable 17 of them fell. Among the 19-month-olds only four fell while naked or wearing disposables, while eight fell when wearing cloth diapers. But both age groups took wider and shorter steps while wearing diapers as opposed to walking naked. The research is in the journal Developmental Science.
不戴尿布時，30個13個月大的嬰兒中只有10個摔倒，但當他們戴上棉尿布時，有21人摔倒。在19個月大的嬰兒中，不戴尿布或者戴上尿不濕時只有4人摔倒，但當戴上棉尿布時有8人摔倒。然而與不戴尿布截然相反的是，這兩個年齡段的嬰兒在戴上尿布時步子會邁得更寬更短一些。這項研究將發表在《發育科學》期刊上。
Because the effects were immediate, this study cannot predict if wearing diapers has a long-term impact. Nonetheless, the researchers believe walking naked would speed up walking development. But then we are left with the issue of covering the entire house in plastic and relying heavily on the child's ability to communicate his or her elimination intentions.
因為它的影響立竿見影，所以這項研究不能預測戴尿布會不會產生長期的影響。盡管如此，研究人員認為不戴尿布會加速兒童行走的發育。不過另一方面，我們會面臨在房子里鋪滿塑料，過分依賴于孩子們傳達意圖的能力。
