In terms of its prevalence, obesity is the leading disease in the

Question

In terms of its prevalence, obesity is the leading disease in the United States. There is no universally accepted standard for obesity, defined generally as an excess of adipose tissue, but a common rule of thumb classifies people who are more than 20 percent above their desirable weight as obese. By this measure, 30 percent of men and 40 percent of women in America are obese. Although studies show that few of these people will ever recover fully and permanently from the disease, the incidence of obesity in future generations can be reduced.

Adipose tissue is a triumph of evolution. Fat yields 9 calories per gram, while protein, like carbohydrates, yields only 4 calories per gram. Fat also contains much less water than protein does. Therefore, fat is much more efficient for storing excess energy than is protein. Primitive humans, with uncertain food sources, had a great need for excess fat, and their bodies adapted accordingly. Modern humans, with a predictable food supply and a sedentary life-style, are burdened by this vestige of evolution. Although they need some adipose tissue to provide insulation and protect internal organs from injury, modern humans need much less than their primitive ancestors did.

In an attempt to shed excess adipose tissue, many Americans turn from one fad diet to another, and a billion-dollar diet industry has grown up to aid them in their efforts. Nevertheless, the five-year cure rate for obesity is very low. In fact, by comparison, cancer is more curable. The reasons for this are psychological as well as physiological.

From a physical standpoint, losing a pound or two a week for a few weeks is not difficult because most of the loss is in the form of protein and water, and protein carries four times its weight in water. However, protein is also the only source of nitrogen in the body, and when the body loses too much nitrogen, it acts to correct the imbalance by excreting less nitrogen than it takes in. Hence beyond a certain point additional weight loss must come from adipose tissue, which, because of its compactness, takes longer to shed. The body’s tendency to return to nitrogen balance and to protect its energy reserves can be so strong that dieters may stop losing or even gain weight while still expending more calories than they ingest. As a result, they frequently suffer not only from hunger, weakness, and a decreased metabolic rate, but also from depression and inactivity, all of which lead them to abandon their diets. Probably because of numerous psychological factors as well as physiological factors such as increased lipid synthesis, they then tend to regain weight rapidly.

While vigorous attempts to reduce obesity in America should be aimed at all affected, the most successful efforts are likely to be those directed toward children. If the advertising and food industries stop trying to sell high-calorie, nutritionally deficient food to children, and if parents understand that the feeding patterns they impose on their children can determine the adolescent and adult eating habits those children will develop, the future generation may not be as fat as ours is.   1 
 1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

(A) explain why prevention is the best defense against obesity
(B) criticize the food and advertising industries for encouraging bad eating habits and thus contributing to the prevalence of obesity in the United States
(C) recruit volunteers for a national crusade against obesity
(D) discourage dependency on fad diets as a method for losing weight
(E) argue that obesity is a genetic disorder that is virtually impossible to cure

2 
 2. By the rule of thumb mentioned in the passage, which of the following would be considered obese?

I. A 25-pound toddler whose desirable weight is 20 pounds
II. A large-framed woman weighting 140 pounds whose desirable weight for her height is between 112 and 120 pounds
III. A 175-pound man who was 25 pounds over his desirable weight and then gained an additional 10 pounds

(A) II only
(B) III only
(C) I and III only
(D) II and III only
(E) I, II, and III

3 
 3. Which of the following, if true, best helps to explain why a greater percentage of women than men in the United States are considered obese by the measure mentioned in the passage?

(A) The measure is the same for both men and women, but it is normal for women to carry a greater percentage of fat at any weight.
(B) The average man is heavier than the average woman; therefore, men generally need to gain more weight than women do before they are considered obese.
(C) There are more women in the United States than there are men.
(D) Because of the influence of the fashion and film industries, many American women consider themselves obese even though they are not.
(E) Women burn off fewer calories than men because their bodies contain a lower percentage of muscle, and muscle burns calories at a faster rate than fat.

4 
 4. According to the passage, modern humans do not need to store as much fat as primitive humans because

(A) modern humans work fewer hours than their primitive forebears did
(B) the diet of modern humans is higher in protein than was the diet of primitive humans
(C) modern humans eat more regularly than primitive humans did
(D) primitive humans had to insulate their bodies from the cold whereas modern humans do not
(E) the food consumed by modern humans has a higher nutritional value than that consumed by primitive humans

5 
 5. All of the following statements about protein are supported by the passage EXCEPT:

(A) Gram for gram, foods that are high in protein are lower in calories than foods that are high in fat.
(B) The body gets all of its nitrogen from protein.
(C) Nine grams of protein yield the same number of calories as 4 grams of fat.
(D) Protein is not converted into adipose tissue.
(E) Five grams of protein carry 20 grams of water.

6 
 6. The author mentions that “cancer is more curable” (line 27) than obesity in order to

(A) underscore the point that obesity is the leading disease in the United States
(B) support the conclusion that it is easier to keep people from becoming obese than it is to cure them once they are
(C) discourage obese people from trying to lose weight
(D) demonstrate by analogy that more money should be spent on obesity research
(E) refute the contention that the causes of obesity are purely physiological

7 
 7. The passage contains information that answers which of the following questions?

(A) What percent of the total population in the United States is obese?
(B) What psychological factors cause people to gain weight rapidly once they go off a diet?
(C) What function does nitrogen perform in the body?
(D) How is an individual’s desirable eight determined?
(E) If a snack bar contains 130 calories and 4 grams of fat, what percentage of the calories in the bar come from fat?

8 
 8. The author mentions all of the following as factors that cause obese people to abandon diets EXCEPT

(A) depression
(B) increased lipid synthesis
(C) a negative nitrogen balance
(D) enervation
(E) a lower metabolic rate

9 
 9. Which of the following, if it could be demonstrated, would most strengthen the claim that the feeding patterns of children “can determine the adolescent and adult eating habits those children will develop” (lines 55-56)?

(A) The incidence of obesity in children whose parents are both obese is 80 percent.
(B) Thirty-six percent of infants who are obese during their first half year of life are also overweight between the ages of 20 and 36.
(C) Excessive weight gain during the teen years can set the stage for a lifetime battle against the bulge.
(D) Up to 80 percent of youngsters who are fat as 5-year-olds end up fat as adults.
(E) The average child witnesses more than 15,000 commercials a year for snacks,candy, and soft drinks laden with fat, sugar, and calories.

KarishmaB · Accepted Answer

3. Which of the following, if true, best helps to explain why a greater percentage of women than men in the United States are considered obese by the measure mentioned in the passage?

(A) The measure is the same for both men and women, but it is normal for women to carry a greater percentage of fat at any weight.
(B) The average man is heavier than the average woman; therefore, men generally need to gain more weight than women do before they are considered obese.
(C) There are more women in the United States than there are men.
(D) Because of the influence of the fashion and film industries, many American women consider themselves obese even though they are not.
(E) Women burn off fewer calories than men because their bodies contain a lower percentage of muscle, and muscle burns calories at a faster rate than fat.

Desirable weight + 20% = Obese
How desirable weight is calculated, we don't know.

Option (B) talks about average men being heavier than average women, not desirable weight of men being more than desirable weight of women. Hence option (B) doesn't help. It just tells us that men are heavier than women - perhaps then, we should find more of them obese.

On the other hand, option (E) says that women burn fewer calories (presumably for the same activity) because they have lower % of muscles. Hence, they would collect fat more easily and become obese more easily than men.

Answer (E)

pikolo2510 · Answer

Hello Experts,

Can anyone explain q7?

7. The passage contains information that answers which of the following questions?
(A) What percent of the total population in the United States is obese?
(B) What psychological factors cause people to gain weight rapidly once they go off a diet?
(C) What function does nitrogen perform in the body?
(D) How is an individual’s desirable weight determined?
(E) If a snack bar contains 130 calories and 4 grams of fat, what percentage of the calories in the bar come from fat?

Option D is also not mentioned in the passage. Rather individuals can find out if they are obese by checking if they are 20% more than desirable weight. The passage nowhere mentions how to calculate/determine desirable weight. Desirable weight is subjective and depends on each person

Please correct me if I am wrong anywhere. Thanks

GMATNinjaTwo · Answer

The answer to #7 is (E).  We are told that "Fat yields 9 calories per gram," so a snack bar with 4 grams of fat would have 36 calories from fat. Thus, we can calculate the percentage.

Refer to the following portion: "a common rule of thumb classifies people who are more than 20 percent above their desirable weight as obese. By this measure, 30 percent of men and 40 percent of women in America are obese." This measure of obesity is based on people's DESIRABLE weight. Somebody might weigh 70kg and be perfectly healthy, but if they WANT to be really skinny, their DESIRABLE weight might be much less (i.e. 55kg). That person would be considered obese by the measure described in the passage.

Choice (E) explains why women have a harder time BURNING calories, but that only helps if women and men consume the same amount of calories on average.

If women are more likely to set such low desirable weights for themselves, that might make it seem like women are more obese by that measure. Choice (D) seems more in line with the information in the passage. Perhaps someone can confirm the OA from the source?

In general, questions from the GMAC paper tests seem to be a bit unreliable and not as valuable as newer questions.

GDT · Answer

GMATNinja ,  VeritasKarishma

Pls provide explanation for Q3

E is saying that women compared to men are able to burn fewer calories because comparatively lesser muscle mass but the question is not about how they burn calories or why they are not able to burn calories quickly.

On the other hand B seems to be a better option as it says that men generally have more weight than women perhaps because of their body structure and so 20% of desirable weight will be less for women than men.

crackGMAT760 · Answer

Hi, I might be a little late to the thread but would love if  GMATNinja  or  GMATNinja Two could help me out with the question I got wrong.

Q4. According to the passage, modern humans do not need to store as much fat as primitive humans because
(A) modern humans work fewer hours than their primitive forebears did
(B) the diet of modern humans is higher in protein than was the diet of primitive humans
(C) modern humans eat more regularly than primitive humans did
(D) primitive humans had to insulate their bodies from the cold whereas modern humans do not
(E) the food consumed by modern humans has a higher nutritional value than that consumed by primitive humans

I selected option A because it talked about why modern humans do not need the calories that primitive humans did before- they work for lesser hours. How can eating regularly be useful in answering this question and where is it mentioned in the passage?

GMATNinja · Answer

4. According to the passage, modern humans do not need to store as much fat as primitive humans because

The questions requires us to pick the choice that's true  according to the passage .

I can't find a single mention in the passage of how many hours modern humans spend working or how many hours primitive humans spent working. Whether explicit or implied, the issue of time spent working is nowhere to be found in the passage. That's why we can eliminate (A).

On the other hand, the second paragraph tells us that...

" Primitive humans, with uncertain food sources, had a great need for excess fat , and their bodies adapted accordingly."

" Modern humans, with a predictable food supply  and a sedentary life-style,  are burdened by this vestige of evolution."

Here the author is telling us pretty directly that primitive humans did not have certain (i.e., regular) access to food, leading to a great need for excess fat to survive. Modern humans, however, have predictable (i.e., regular) access to food.

As a result (and despite the need for some adipose tissue), "modern humans need much less than their primitive ancestors did."

That's why we keep (C) while eliminating (A).

Sajjad1994 · Answer

Explanation

9. Which of the following, if it could be demonstrated, would most strengthen the claim that the feeding patterns of children “can determine the adolescent and adult eating habits those children will develop” (lines 55-56)?

Difficulty Level:   Medium-Hard

Explanation

The statement that "the feeding patterns of children can determine the adolescent and adult eating habits those children will develop" suggests a strong connection between early eating habits and long-term eating behaviors. To strengthen this claim, we need to find evidence that demonstrates a direct link between childhood eating patterns and later eating habits in adolescents and adults. Let's evaluate each option:

(A)  This statement discusses the relationship between parental obesity and childhood obesity but does not directly address the impact of feeding patterns on later eating habits in children.

(B)  This option presents evidence of a link between early infant obesity and later overweight status. However, it doesn't directly address the influence of feeding patterns on eating habits.

(C)  This statement suggests a connection between teenage weight gain and long-term struggles with weight. While it hints at the importance of adolescent years, it doesn't specifically address the impact of early childhood feeding patterns.

(D)   This option provides strong evidence that early childhood weight status is strongly correlated with adulthood weight status, supporting the idea that feeding patterns in early childhood can have long-term effects on eating habits. This is a strong choice.

(E)  While this statement highlights the influence of advertising on children's food choices, it doesn't directly address the impact of feeding patterns set by parents. It focuses on external factors rather than early childhood feeding practices.

Option (D) provides the most direct and compelling evidence to support the claim that childhood obesity is linked to later eating habits. It indicates that children who are overweight as 5-year-olds are likely to remain overweight as adults, emphasizing the importance of early childhood factors, including feeding patterns.

Answer: D

Sukrit006 · Answer

Hello Experts,

Can anyone explain q5?

5. All of the following statements about protein are supported by the passage EXCEPT:

(A) Gram for gram, foods that are high in protein are lower in calories than foods that are high in fat.
(B) The body gets all of its nitrogen from protein.
(C) Nine grams of protein yield the same number of calories as 4 grams of fat.
(D) Protein is not converted into adipose tissue.
(E) Five grams of protein carry 20 grams of water.

Option D and E are both not mentioned in the passage. For option E it is said that proteins carry water but the water per gram of protein is not mentioned explicitly. So how are we eliminating this option.

Please correct me if I am wrong anywhere. Thanks

guddo · Answer

5. All of the following statements about protein are supported by the passage EXCEPT:

The passage says protein yields 4 calories per gram, is the body’s only source of nitrogen, and carries four times its weight in water.  So the unsupported choice will be the one that says something about protein that the passage never states .

(A) Gram for gram, foods that are high in protein are lower in calories than foods that are high in fat.

This is supported. Fat yields 9 calories per gram, while protein yields only 4 calories per gram.

(B) The body gets all of its nitrogen from protein.

This is supported. The passage says protein is the only source of nitrogen in the body.

(C) Nine grams of protein yield the same number of calories as 4 grams of fat.

This is supported. 9 grams of protein yield 9 * 4 = 36 calories, and 4 grams of fat yield 4 * 9 = 36 calories.

(D) Protein is not converted into adipose tissue.

This is correct. The passage does not say that protein cannot be converted into adipose tissue. It discusses protein loss, nitrogen balance, and fat loss, but it never makes this specific claim.

(E) Five grams of protein carry 20 grams of water.

This is supported. The passage says protein carries four times its weight in water, so 5 grams of protein carry  20 grams of water .

Answer: (D)

egmat · Answer

Hi Sukrit006,

Good instinct to compare the two "not stated explicitly" options, but option  E  actually  is  supported, and the key is one phrase you may have read past.

Look at this line in paragraph  4 :

"...most of the loss is in the form of protein and water, and  protein carries four times its weight in water ."

That phrase gives you a fixed ratio. "Four times its weight" means: for any amount of protein, the water it carries is  4  x that amount. So:

-  1  gram of protein -  4  grams of water
-  5  grams of protein -  5  x  4  =  20  grams of water

That's exactly what choice E says. The passage doesn't write " 5  grams -  20  grams" word-for-word, but it gives you the rule that  produces  that number - and on RC, a value you can derive directly from a stated rule counts as  supported . (This is the same move the question uses elsewhere: "fat yields  9  calories per gram" lets you compute calories for any number of grams.)

Now contrast  D : "Protein is not converted into adipose tissue." The passage talks about adipose tissue and even mentions "increased lipid synthesis," but it  never  tells you whether protein does or doesn't turn into fat. There's no stated rule you can apply - you'd have to bring in outside knowledge. That's why D is the unsupported one and the correct answer.

So the real difference isn't "explicit vs. not explicit." It's  derivable from a stated rule (E) vs. no information at all (D).

Quick check to lock it in:  the passage says fat yields  9  calories per gram. Is the statement " 6  grams of fat yield  54  calories" supported? Yes - even though that exact sentence never appears, the rule gives you the number. Same logic makes E supported.

Answer: D

Vamikaaa · Answer

Can someone explain how we came to the answers for Q1 and Q3?

guddo · Answer

1. The primary purpose of the passage is to

The passage explains why obesity is widespread and difficult to cure, then argues that  preventing obesity, especially in children, is likely to be more effective than treating it later . The final paragraph gives specific ways to reduce obesity in future generations.

(A) explain why prevention is the best defense against obesity

Correct.   The passage explains why obesity is difficult to cure once established and then argues that efforts directed at children can  prevent obesity from developing in the first place .

(B) criticize the food and advertising industries for encouraging bad eating habits and thus contributing to the prevalence of obesity in the United States

Incorrect. The industries are criticized only briefly in the final paragraph. This is not the main purpose of the passage.

(C) recruit volunteers for a national crusade against obesity

Incorrect. The passage explains obesity and discusses prevention. It does not try to recruit anyone.

(D) discourage dependency on fad diets as a method for losing weight

Incorrect. Fad diets are discussed, but mainly as part of the broader explanation of why obesity is difficult to cure.

(E) argue that obesity is a genetic disorder that is virtually impossible to cure

Incorrect. The passage discusses evolutionary and physiological factors, but it does not claim that obesity is simply a genetic disorder. It also says future incidence can be reduced.

Answer: (A)

guddo · Answer

3. Which of the following, if true, best helps to explain why a greater percentage of women than men in the United States are considered obese by the measure mentioned in the passage?

The passage says that by the stated measure, a larger percentage of women than men are obese. To explain this difference, we need a factor that would make women  more likely to accumulate excess weight .

(A) The measure is the same for both men and women, but it is normal for women to carry a greater percentage of fat at any weight.

Incorrect. The measure is based on being more than 20 percent above  desirable weight , not on the percentage of body weight that is fat.

(B) The average man is heavier than the average woman; therefore, men generally need to gain more weight than women do before they are considered obese.

Incorrect. Obesity is defined here by a percentage above desirable weight. A higher absolute weight does not make men less likely to exceed that percentage.

(C) There are more women in the United States than there are men.

Incorrect. The passage compares percentages, not total numbers.

(D) Because of the influence of the fashion and film industries, many American women consider themselves obese even though they are not.

Incorrect. The statistics concern women classified as obese by the stated measure, not women who merely consider themselves obese.

(E) Women burn off fewer calories than men because their bodies contain a lower percentage of muscle, and muscle burns calories at a faster rate than fat.

Correct.   If women generally burn fewer calories, they would be more likely to store excess calories and gain weight. This directly helps explain why a greater percentage of women exceed their desirable weight by more than 20 percent.

Answer: (E)

egmat · Answer

Hi Vamikaaa,

Happy to walk through both. These are really two different tasks, so let me take them one at a time.

Q1 - Primary purpose (answer: A)

The trick here is to follow the passage's  arc , not any single paragraph:

- Para  1  defines obesity and drops the key hinge: few people "recover fully and permanently,"  but  "the incidence of obesity in future generations can be reduced."
- Paras  2 - 4  explain  why curing existing obesity is so hard  - the physiology of fat, low cure rates, "cancer is more curable."
- Para  5  lands the point: "the most successful efforts are likely to be those directed toward children" - i.e.,  prevention .

Every piece builds toward  prevention beats cure , which is exactly  (A) . Watch the tempting wrong ones:  (B)  only covers one sentence of the last paragraph (too narrow), and  (D)  - fad diets - is just one example inside the "cure is hard" section, not the main point.

Q3 - Why more women than men are obese (answer: E)

The one thing to lock onto is what the measure actually is:  20%  above  desirable  weight - not above some fixed number. So we need a reason more women cross  their own  threshold.

That's why  (B)  fails, even though it feels right. (B) says the average man is  heavier  than the average woman - but that's  absolute  weight, not desirable weight. Being heavier doesn't tell us who is more likely to exceed their  own  desirable weight by  20% .

(E)  gives a real cause: women burn fewer calories (less muscle), so they store excess energy as fat more easily - pushing more of them past their desirable-weight threshold. That directly explains the higher percentage.

Quick check to feel the (B) trap:  "Team A scores more total points than Team B" tells you nothing about which team beats  its own  season average more often. Absolute size and "percent above your own target" are simply different questions - that's the gap (B) walks into.

Answer: A; E

In terms of its prevalence, obesity is the leading disease in the

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GMAT Reading Comprehension (RC) Questions

In terms of its prevalence, obesity is the leading disease in the

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