Many soft drinks are available as “diet” drinks, meaning that they contain few, if any calories, though this does not ensure that these drinks are particularly healthy or nutritious. Nor is it the case that these drinks are necessarily effective at promoting weight loss since _________

Which of the following most logically completes the passage?

(A) people who switch from regular soft drinks to diet drinks tend to consume just as much soda as they had before switching.
(B) diet drinks are highly acidic and can lead to tooth decay.
(C) they contain artificial sweeteners that can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate calorie intake.
(D) individuals who consume at least one diet soft drink daily are less likely to exercise than individuals who do not.
(E) soft drink cans of all types are coated with a substance that has been connected to a wide range of health problems.

I said C.

Soft drinks contain less, if any, calories.
But, these soft drinks won't mean weight loss because ____

Outside factors? Drinking soft drinks have other implications? Genetics?

Line C fits with the line of reasoning that soft drinks have other implications.

(A) people who switch from regular soft drinks to diet drinks tend to consume just as much soda as they had before switching.
If diet drinks have fewer calories than regular soft drinks and people who switch to diet drinks consume the same amount as they would have of regular drinks, then their calorie intake should be reduced hence promoting weight loss. Incorrect

(B) diet drinks are highly acidic and can lead to tooth decay.
The effect of diet drinks on dental health is not relevant to the discussion on weight loss. Incorrect

(C) they contain artificial sweeteners that can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate calorie intake.
If they do affect regulation of calorie intake then that means the person's other weight loss efforts are going to be less effective. Hence it does not promote weight loss. Correct

(D) individuals who consume at least one diet soft drink daily are less likely to exercise than individuals who do not.
This answer is quite tempting because it makes sense in the real world. However, it only talks about the tendendcies of those who consume it and not about the drinks itself. Incorrect

(E) soft drink cans of all types are coated with a substance that has been connected to a wide range of health problems.
We are not told about what kind of health problems and if those problems have anything to do with weight loss. Incorrect

Correct answer: C

Many soft drinks are available as “diet” drinks, meaning that they contain few, if any calories, though this does not ensure that these drinks are particularly healthy or nutritious. Nor is it the case that these drinks are necessarily effective at promoting weight loss since _________

Which of the following most logically completes the passage?

(A) people who switch from regular soft drinks to diet drinks tend to consume just as much soda as they had before switching. Irrelevant

(B) diet drinks are highly acidic and can lead to tooth decay. Incorrect

our concerns for healthy, nutritious or weight loss, not tooth decay

(C) they contain artificial sweeteners that can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate calorie intake. Correct

interfere with the body’s ability to regulate calorie intake means it is not healthful or not helpful in weight loss

(D) individuals who consume at least one diet soft drink daily are less likely to exercise than individuals who do not. Irrelevant

(E) soft drink cans of all types are coated with a substance that has been connected to a wide range of health problems. Incorrect

soft drink cans Irrelevant

(A) people who switch from regular soft drinks to diet drinks tend to consume just as much soda as they had before switching.
(B) diet drinks are highly acidic and can lead to tooth decay.
(C) they contain artificial sweeteners that can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate calorie intake.
(D) individuals who consume at least one diet soft drink daily are less likely to exercise than individuals who do not.
(E) soft drink cans of all types are coated with a substance that has been connected to a wide range of health problems.

I'd go with C.

Here's why...

If it messes with the body's ability to regulate cal intake, then you might consume a lot more cals and the body might not even know so it's bad overall.

A - So what if they consume just as much, what if this soda is healthy soda (no such thing but...)
B - What about normal drinks? Are they good for teeth or just as bad?
D - Less likely? How much less - 50% and 49.9999%?
E - So everything is bad, not just these...

Answer is C

Official Explanation:

Many soft drinks are available as “diet” drinks, meaning that they contain few, if any calories, though this does not ensure that these drinks are particularly healthy or nutritious. Nor is it the case that these drinks are necessarily effective at promoting weight loss since _________

Which of the following most logically completes the passage?

(A) people who switch from regular soft drinks to diet drinks tend to consume just as much soda as they had before switching.
(B) diet drinks are highly acidic and can lead to tooth decay.
(C) they contain artificial sweeteners that can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate calorie intake.
(D) individuals who consume at least one diet soft drink daily are less likely to exercise than individuals who do not.
(E) soft drink cans of all types are coated with a substance that has been connected to a wide range of health problems.

Question Type: Complete the Passage
Boil It Down: Diet soft drinks have few or no calories, but that doesn’t mean they’re healthy or help one lose weight.
Goal: Find the best evidence for why diet soft drinks don’t help people lose weight.

Analysis:

This question asks for a premise that will strengthen a given conclusion.

Conclusion: Diet soft drinks are not necessarily effective at promoting weight loss.

Premise: This is what is missing. Anything following this use of the word “since” is going to be a premise.

Choice C supplies a premise or piece of evidence that explains how it is that a low or no-calorie drink can actually lead to a problem with calorie intake. This would make it less than effective at promoting weight loss.

(A) people who switch from regular soft drinks to diet drinks tend to consume just as much soda as they had before switching.
This does not explain how it is that these low or no-calorie drinks don’t lead to weight loss. Drinking just as much of a low-calorie item would seem to lead to weight loss. The argument is not about how much soda is drunk and is therefore out of the scope.

(B) diet drinks are highly acidic and can lead to tooth decay.
This does not address the issue of weight loss.

(C) they contain artificial sweeteners that can interfere with the body’s ability to regulate calorie intake.
This is the correct choice. If a body cannot regulate calorie intake, this would likely lead to weight gain, or at least would not promote weight loss.

(D) individuals who consume at least one diet soft drink daily are less likely to exercise than individuals who do not.
This does not suggest that the diet soft drinks are responsible for individuals getting less exercise. In other words, there is no definite causal relationship. Perhaps a lack of exercise leads to drinking diet soft drinks, not the other way around. Or perhaps there is a third factor that leads to both diet soft drink consumption and a lack of exercise.

(E) soft drink cans of all types are coated with a substance that has been connected to a wide range of health problems.
This applies to all soft drinks. It also does not address weight loss.


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