A recent study of people who had successfully lost weight and implemen

i think B and E both does the same thing showing third thing as the cause, but E wins just because it mentions the word "Most" and B mentions " Some"

Hi jabhatta@umail.iu.edu!

Happy to help

This is tricky, because we need to infer some context from the passage here. The passage starts off by stating that most people gain back weight that they had lost when they were younger. This is just background, contextual information. The argument really starts with the second line: Surprisingly, among the study's subjects who had hired personal trainers to help them lose weight and exercise in their twenties, an even higher percentage had regained the weight or stopped exercising than among subjects who had not hired such trainers. This is the main discrepancy that the argument is focusing on, not the fact that people gain weight as they get older -- that's not surprising. The argument is basically taking it as a given that remaining on an effective weight management and exercise program is difficult. That isn't really part of the conclusion, it just provides the basis for the conclusion to jump off from. The main conclusion here is that personal trainers are largely ineffective in helping people to remain on an effective weight management and exercise program.

When we see the structure: "not only...but also", then it is often the case that the part following "not only" is something that is already widely accepted as fact. The main argument lies in the second part, following "but also", which is what is emphasized. Usually, context clues from the rest of the argument (as here) can help us determine when this is the case. So choice C doesn't address the main part of the argument.

Hope that helps!
-Carolyn

The argument is that personal trainers are largely ineffective in helping people remain on an effective weight management and
exercise program - which is difficult

This is based on the facts of the study that of subjects who hired personal trainers to lose weight and exercise in their 20s a larger percentage of people
regained the weight or stopped exercising THAN subjects who had just implemented routines - who mostly regained/ stop exercising or both.

The argument makes a conclusion based on the fact a LARGER percentage of people who had hired personal trainers have regained weight or stopped exercising.

We are asked to weaken this
A - If they have more freetime to exercise then we would need to assume they used that time to exercise and assume that perhaps they lost more weight? It seems as if
we would need to spin too much of a story here to weaken the claim whereas E raises doubt without any work.
B - The argument explicitly states "subjects who hired personal trainers to help them lose weight". Incorrect
C - This would affect both groups though. Incorect
D - This would add more granularity to the failure, but it wouldn't weaken the claim. Incorrect
E - This shows that the personal trainers caused them to lose weight whereas those who implemented programs themselves lost weight on their on motivation.
This statement would lead us to conclude that once the subjects stopped personal training because they would stop dieting or exercise.

Hi Varun,

Here are my thoughts:



This option says that people (who hired personal trainers) had more time to exercise than other people. Now, if they had more time to exercise, they should have done better. However, from the passage, we know that these people (with trainers) actually did worse. Right? So, it only supports the conclusion.


Even if those personal trainers were Gods who could everything, the data given in the passage still stands as is. The data says that people with personal trainers performed even worse. Right?

Does it help?

- Chiranjeev

Hi sidvarma,

Glad I could help! GMAT CR can definitely be rough!! Here are a few articles that discuss general strategies for dealing with CR questions like this one, in case they're helpful

• How to Weaken an Argument in GMAT CR
• GMAT CR -- Weakening an Argument
• Arguments and Assumptions on the GMAT
• The Anatomy of an Argument

-Carolyn

A recent study of people who had successfully lost weight and implemented regular exercise routines in their twenties found that, by the age of forty, most had gained back the weight, stopped exercising regularly, or both. Surprisingly, among the study's subjects who had hired personal trainers to help them lose weight and exercise in their twenties, an even higher percentage had regained the weight or stopped exercising than among subjects who had not hired such trainers. The researchers concluded not only that remaining on an effective weight management and exercise program is difficult, but also that personal trainers are largely ineffective in helping people to remain on an effective weight management and exercise program.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument in the passage above?

I am having doubt with respect to the following two options. Can someone please elaborate more on the following options

A. Subjects in the study who had hired personal trainers had, on average, more free time to exercise than did those who had not hired such trainers.
I am not getting at all what this option means and can do with respect to the conclusion in the above argument.

D. Many of the personal trainers hired by the people in the study were also dietitians who helped their clients design meal plans.
As per my understanding, if many of the personal trainers were also dietitians then they can not be largely ineffective in helping people instead they could be more effective. It weakens the conclusion. So, how is this option statement wrong, can anyone please explain?

mikemcgarry

Experts - can you please confirm why C is wrong ...

E seems to weaken only the underline portion of the argument but not the bold part of the argument

A recent study of people who had successfully lost weight and implemented regular exercise routines in their twenties found that, by the age of forty, most had gained back the weight, stopped exercising regularly, or both. Surprisingly, among the study's subjects who had hired personal trainers to help them lose weight and exercise in their twenties, an even higher percentage had regained the weight or stopped exercising than among subjects who had not hired such trainers. The researchers concluded not only that remaining on an effective weight management and exercise program is difficult, but also that personal trainers are largely ineffective in helping people to remain on an effective weight management and exercise program.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument in the passage above?

a)Subjects in the study who had hired personal trainers had, on average, more free time to exercise than did those who had not hired such trainers.
b)Some people hire personal trainers for sport-specific training or to rehabilitate injuries, rather than to lose weight or implement a regular exercise program.
c)The average person's metabolism slows significantly between the ages of thirty and forty, making it more difficult for people aged forty or older to avoid weight gain.
d)Many of the personal trainers hired by the people in the study were also dietitians who helped their clients design meal plans.
e)Most people who hire personal trainers do so, at least in part, because they lack sufficient motivation to remain on a diet or exercise regimen by themselves

Thank you, this was really helpful in understanding why C isn't the right answer. Damn it, CR is BRUTAL.

I think so too, selected B as my answer in the test, got it wrong, do things like these a make or break in real GMAT exam, Some or most essentially mean "Not all" right?

This thread is old but I think E doesn't not make sense as the answer at all. If anything it supports the claim.

The claim is "that personal trainers are largely ineffective in helping people to remain on an effective weight management and exercise program."

Remain is an essential part of the conclusion.

E. Most people who hire personal trainers do so, at least in part, because they lack sufficient motivation to remain on a diet or exercise regimen by themselves.

So if people hire trainers because they lack self motivation then one can infer that the trainer was hired to help them get and stay motivated to follow a regimen. Then them (the people who hired the trainer) not remaining on that diet contributes further to the conclusion that the trainers were ineffective in helping people remain on a diet.

I don't see how this goes against the conclusion at all.

ChiranjeevSingh MagooshExpert

Q1) does this question give any indication that folks in their 40's -- do they continue to hire a personal trainers as they did in their 20's or are they no longer hiring a personal trainer in their 40's ? I think having that clarity is important in you answer this question -- thoughts ?

Q2) For C - I thought weakened the conclusion because C giving another reason why weight gain happened (it has nothing to do with regards to having a trainer or not having a trainer but instead another factor)

Thoughts ?

This is how I tried to solve it ...Not sure if its right or wrong given I am no expert

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lm9B_0 ... e=youtu.be

(1) Identify the Question Type
The words "weaken" and "if true" in the question stem indicate that this is a Weaken question.

(2) Deconstruct the Argument
The study found that most subjects no longer maintained the weight-reduction and exercise programs they had followed in their twenties. The argument, however, is not primarily concerned with this generally low maintenance rate; it is most concerned with the fact that, surprisingly, the rate was even lower among subjects who had hired personal trainers. Using that discrepancy, the researchers conclude two things: that it is difficult to maintain a weight management and exercise program and that personal trainers are largely ineffective in helping their clients to do so

(3) State the Goal
For weaken questions, we're looking for an answer that makes the conclusion at least a little less likely to be true or valid. It is a fact that subjects who had hired personal trainers had a lower long-term success rate than did those who had not. To weaken the argument, there must be some other reason (besides the general ineffectiveness of trainers) for why the rate was lower among people who had hired trainers.

(4) Work from Wrong to Right

(A) If anything, having more time to exercise should contribute to a higher rate of success in maintaining an exercise program. (Conversely, individuals with less free time should have more difficulty maintaining such a program.) If this statement is true, then the conclusion of the argument becomes more, not less, likely.

(B) The argument considers only those individuals who hired personal trainers for purposes of weight loss or general exercise; the hiring of trainers for other reasons is irrelevant to the discussion.

(C) If this is true, then it supports the first half of the author's conclusion: it is difficult to remain on a weight loss and exercise regimen over time.

(D) If the trainers helped their clients design meal plans in addition to exercise routines, then the result of the study becomes even more surprising – if anything, strengthening the argument, rather than weakening it.

(E) CORRECT. If this statement is true, then there is selection bias among people who choose to hire trainers in the first place: namely, individuals who hire trainers are precisely those who are, all other things equal, less likely to remain on diet or training programs. If that is the case, then this group would naturally be expected to have a lower rate of success in maintaining weight loss or regular exercise – so such a lower rate does not necessarily signal any ineffectiveness on the part of the trainers.

Hello from the GMAT Club VerbalBot!

Thanks to another GMAT Club member, I have just discovered this valuable topic, yet it had no discussion for over a year. I am now bumping it up - doing my job. I think you may find it valuable (esp those replies with Kudos).

Want to see all other topics I dig out? Follow me (click follow button on profile). You will receive a summary of all topics I bump in your profile area as well as via email.