睡眠時間が小児肥満に影響 ― pile on pounds

子供が必要な睡眠時間は1日10時間以上が理想で、下回ると小児肥満（childhood obesity）のリスクが増すとの記事が目に付きました。


A good night’s sleep in the early years of life could be crucial in preventing a child becoming obese, say scientists.

Babies, toddlers and pre-school children who sleep for less than ten hours a night are more likely to be overweight when they are older, research has found.
(Sophie Borland. Obesity warning for children who don’t get ten hours' sleep. The Daily Mail. September 7, 2010.)


ふむふむ、という感じですが、この記事の後半に下記の下りがあります。


Last year Chinese researchers looked at more than 5,000 youngsters and found that those who were able to catch up on sleep at the weekend were far less likely to pile on the pounds.
(ibid.)



"pile on the pounds"という表現は成句でしょうか？"pile"という動詞自体が、積み重ねる、積み上げる、という意味がありますから、体重が増えるほうの話であることは自然と理解できます。

手持ちの英和辞書では、"pile on the pounds"というエントリは見当たりませんでしたが、恐らく成句として機能していると思います。

もう2例ほど実例を引用します。


Weight problems add stress to already stressful jobs, costing many soldiers promotions and leading some to try desperate measures like rubber suits and risky pills to shed pounds. # Problems don't end when active duty does, either. The Veterans Affairs health system increasingly is strained by vets piling on pounds and developing weight-related diseases like diabetes.
(DIET: Too fat to fight? Obesity takes a heavy toll on the military. Associated Press. 2005.)


Top nutritionists and trainers tell you how to indulge without remorse -- and without piling on pounds.
(Laura Petrecca. Go Ahead, Eat the Whole Thing. Prevention. 2003.)