In countries such as Denmark, which is relatively advanced and develop

B is correct because if access to accurate diagnostic procedures for obesity is not equal for residents of developing and developed countries, then developing countries may be under reporting the rate of obesity or developed countries may be over reporting the rate of obesity, meaning the conclusion that difference in rates of obesity is due to the availability of leisure time fails.

An out of context question-
In option D:
(D) Certain medication that effectively treats obesity are not readily available in developing countries
As "medication" is singular, is the use of "are" correct? Should the correct verb here not be "is"? As, "treats" is also a singular verb that modifies "medication". Please correct me if I am missing something here. Thanks

Please elaborate basis on which we have chosen B over E. And how a negation of B break the conclusion of the argument

VeritasKarishma if i negate B, don't i get two options? the access is higher for developed OR the access is higher for developing countries?
So in one case the negation works but in another it doesn't. Does this option still stand as a correct answer?

What is a valid assumption for the argument? That the number of obesity cases are higher for developed countries not because of better access to accurate diagnostic procedures.

The argument zeroes in on the reason for higher number as "increased leisure time afforded to residents of developed countries."

The argument is giving the cause as increased leisure time. So it is assuming that the difference is not because of something else. Something else such as "better access to accurate diagnostic procedures."

Option (B) is just another way of putting "developed countries do not have better access to accurate diagnostic procedures"
You need to negate the option in the spirit of the argument.

IMO
The assumption is all else equal, increased leisure time is the cause.

(D) Certain medication that effectively treats obesity are not readily available in developing countries
Choice D, does help the argument but it is not an assumption.

How does it help the argument ?
If developing countries had a way to control obesity, then may be the rate of obesity in developed countries is not really high. It's just that the rate is low in developed countries and therefore increase leisure time is not the reason as the rate itself is not higher. Choice D suggests thats not the case.

But why choice D is incorrect is because there is no comparison stated in D.
How do I know if the medications are not readily available in developed countries too.

IMO for D to be correct the choice should be.
Certain medication that effectively treats obesity are not MORE readily available in developing countries THAN in developed countries.

Choice B correctly states the implied comparison by mentioning one of the variables to be equal for both developing and developed countries.

DanTe02 - I have a question that is not relevant to finding the correct answer. could you please help me understand what I am missing here.

Hi Rahul

The negated form of option (B) reads:

Access to accurate diagnostic procedures for obesity is not equal for residents of developing and developed countries.

Logically, this would mean that developing countries have lesser access to accurate diagnostic procedures for obesity. This in turn could mean that obesity rates are higher in developed countries simply because they are diagnosed more extensively and not because of any differences in "leisure". This breaks the conclusion.

Option (E) states: Few residents of developing countries dedicate any of their time to leisure.

From a point of what it means for the conclusion, it is merely a restatement of the premise given in the passage ("...increased leisure time afforded to residents of developed countries"). Therefore this cannot be the underlying assumption for the conclusion.

Hope this helps.

Srini

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