Nandipa wishes to maintain her heart health, strictly follows a plant.

Question

Nandipa wishes to maintain her heart health, strictly follows a plant-based diet and has successfully maintained her blood level of LDL, ''bad'' cholesterol at well within the range considered optimal for heart health. But she is worried that her blood of HDL, ''good'' cholesterol, is lower than is often considered optimal for heart health, and has thus considered consuming foods such as chicken or fish that would increase her blood level of this beneficial substance.

Which of the following, if true, should be most significant for Nandipa in determining whether to add such foods to her diet ?

A. HDL can help to protect against the accumulation of plagues (fatty deposits) in the arteries 
B. The benefit of HDL is stricly due to its effect on LDL levels 
C. The body produces all of the LDL it needs; so it is unnecessary to consume food containing this form of cholesterol
D. Plant-based diets reduce the sum of both ''good'' and ''bad'' cholesterol 
E. There are other good besides chicken or fish that can increase the level of good cholesterol

Got this wrong during mock, anyone could share how you tackle this one ...
greatly appreciated !

My breakdown of the argument

P1: N keeps good heart health --> follows P/B diet 
P2: suc keep low LDL -bad ctsl 
P3: HDL good ctsl lower than optimal
P4: considering adding foods like ckc or fish to diet

A - out of scope 
B - 
C- out of scope 
D- 
E - out of scope

After POE marked D ......

GMATNinja · Accepted Answer

Nandipa has considered consuming foods that increase HDL blood level (such as chicken or fish) to maintain her heart health. Here's why she is considering this change: She wishes to maintain heart health. Her LDL level is in the range considered optimal for heart health. Her HDL level is lower than is often considered optimal for heart health. Foods such as chicken or fish would increase her HDL blood level. (Mmm... fish.) Therefore, consuming foods such as chicken or fish will help Nandipa maintain heart health. One thing that jumps out immediately from this breakdown is that there's no connection between LDL and HDL. We know that for optimal heart health, one should meet the optimal range for each type of cholesterol. But as far as we can tell, each type impacts heart health independently. This means that if we're analyzing the impact of consuming HDL via food, we shouldn't take into account the role of LDL unless we're given new information that explicitly links the two in their effect on heart health. We're looking for anything that could strengthen or weaken the conclusion that consuming foods that increase HDL blood level will help Nandipa maintain her heart health. Let's begin eliminating choices: This choice elaborates on what HDL literally does in the blood stream, but we already know that HDL is "good." Because (A) doesn't have any impact on Nandipa's conclusion (consume foods that contain HDL), we can eliminate it. If true, this weakens the conclusion. Whereas the only thing we knew before is that more HDL is good for heart health, this choice tells us that the benefit of HDL is limited to its effect on LDL levels. Nandipa's LDL levels are already in the optimal range, so consuming foods with HDL will deliver no additional benefit to her heart health. Let's keep (B) around unless we see something more game-changing. The conclusion has nothing to do with consumption of food containing LDL, and this choice doesn't provide information that links LDL to HDL. Eliminate (C). We already know that Nandipa has a plant-based diet. This new information about what her diet does to the sum of LDL and HDL is irrelevant, because we're are analyzing whether Nandipa should modify that diet by consuming foods that contain HDL (such as chicken or fish). (D) doesn't impact the conclusion we care about, so we'll eliminate it. Like answer choice (A), this choice underscores something we already know. Who cares how many foods have HDL? We want to know whether Nandipa should make the decision to begin eating these foods ; it doesn't matter whether they're chicken, fish, eggs, steak, dosas, pie, bhindi masala, carne asada burritos, vanilla pudding, lamb tagine, Bavarian pretzels, or anything else that might increase HDL levels. Because this choice doesn't provide any information to strengthen or weaken Nandipa's choice to add foods containing HDL to her diet, we can eliminate it as well. Unrelated: that last paragraph made me hungry.

Anyway, (B) is the best answer. It's the only one that directly addresses Nandipa's decision and provides new information to help us assess that decision.

Kurtosis · Answer

Premise: Nand has maintained a plant based diet --> Level of LDL is normal. But level of HDL, good cholesterol is lower than optimal.

Conclusion: Nand has decided to consume foods that would increase the level of HDL.

We are asked to evaluate whether the foods that she has decided to consume is beneficial and does not increase LDL levels.

A. HDL can help to protect against the accumulation of plagues (fatty deposits) in the arteries - Incorrect - Irrelevant. We already know that HDL is good cholesterol. So HDL has some beneficial properties. Moreover we are not worried about the beneficial effects of HDL on the heart.

B. The benefit of HDL is stricly due to its effect on LDL levels - Correct - It can be interpreted from this option that HDL levels govern LDL levels. So if the foods used to increase HDL levels keeps LDL in check then it is recommended to consume such foods, otherwise, such foods are not recommended to be consumed.

C. The body produces all of the LDL it needs; so it is unnecessary to consume food containing this form of cholesterol - Incorrect - Irrelevant

D. Plant-based diets reduce the sum of both ''good'' and ''bad'' cholesterol - Incorrect - Irrelevant. Focus is on consumption of foods which can improve HDL levels, not on plant based diets.

E. There are other good besides chicken or fish that can increase the level of good cholesterol - Incorrect - Irrelevant

Answer: B

OptimusPrepJanielle · Answer

Nandipa wants to remain healthy and has kep here LDL at the desired level. But her HDL is low, hence she wants to eat food that increases HDL.
We need to evaluate whether she should eat such food or not.

If we are able to prove a relation between LDL (bad for health) and HDL (good for health), then we can easily reason whether she should eat the food or not.
Or if we can point out a relation between such foods and any other health benefits/hazards, then also we can reason out.

Of the given options, only Option B talks about the relation between HDL and LDL by saying that "The benefit of HDL is strictly due to its effect on LDL levels"
Correct Option: B

powellmittra · Answer

Can someone please explain the reasoning to eliminate answer choice D?

OptimusPrepJanielle · Answer

We know that the level of good cholestrol is already low.
Option D says that the plant based diet reduces the sum of good and bad cholesterol.

From this we cannot determine whether the level of good cholesterol will rise or not. It might be the case the bad cholesterol takes the most part of the sum.

Does this help?

demonawaits · Answer

Hi experts,

This is my reasoning for the correct answer.

If benefit OF HDL is strictly caused by its effect on LDL then she doesn't need food rich in HDL as her LDL is already within limits.

If benefit OF HDL is not strictly caused by its effect on LDL then HDL is probably important and she does need to take in foods rich in HDL.

Please let me know if there is a gap in my understanding.

chetan2u · Answer

Yes, you are correct in your thinking...
If the role of HDL is to control LDL, then that role is already being done efficiently by the amount of HDL in body...
so may be MORE HDL will not have any further benefit ...

nalinnair · Answer

chetan2u : What could be the reasons for eliminating option A?

Abhishek009 · Answer

Heart Health : Plant Based Diet + Blood Level LDL ( Bad chol < Optimum level)
Worried : HDL < Optimum Level
Incrd consmptn : Chicken / Fish = Incr HDL

A. HDL can help to protect against the accumulation of plaques (fatty deposits) in the arteries. 
 
 What if optimum level of LDL ( by the consumption of Plant Based Diet ) doesn't result in deposition of fat in the arteries ? If Fat deposit doen't take place in the first place , HDL will have no role to play .... 
 
Hence (A) can be rejected....

DensetsuNo · Answer

Which of the following, if true , should be most significant for Nandipa in determining whether to add such foods to her diet ?

Ok, let’s analyze it thoroughly. 
 Objective , healthy heart.  P1 : Following a plant-based diet she has great levels of Bad Cholesterol, but probably low levels of Good Cholesterol. 
 The question is , should she increase the levels of good cholesterol?

A. “Whether” HDL can help to protect against the accumulation of plagues (fatty deposits) in the arteries. 
 Irrelevant, we know HDL, is good we are simply asking ourselves whether she should rise it, not its effects. 
 B. “Whether” the benefit of HDL is strictly due to its effect on LDL levels  
 That’s probably it. We were asking ourselves: does she have to increase her levels of good cholesterol? This statement would help to understand whether her good levels of Bad Cholesterol are linked to the low levels of Good Cholesterol or not. If they are, there’s no reason to increase the good cholesterol since it’d likely increase the Bad Cholesterol as well, if they aren’t linked on the contrary she could eat whatever she likes to increase it. 
 C. “Whether” the body produces all of the LDL it needs; so it is unnecessary to consume food containing this form of cholesterol 
 This doesn’t answer any of our questions, if it is true we don’t understand why the levels are lower than the normal level, and in case it isn’t true, we don’t have any new information on whether she should eat those foods. 
 D. Plant-based diets reduce the sum of both ''good'' and ''bad'' cholesterol  
 Irrelevant. We are talking about whether to try and rise the levels of Good Cholesterol. 
 E. There are other good besides chicken or fish that can increase the level of good cholesterol  
 Super out of scope, who cares if nuts can increase cholesterol, we first have to understand whether she needs to!

Answer B.

manlog · Answer

Correct answer is B

Reasoning - if the only benefit of HDL is its effect on LDL levels, Nandipa doesn't have to do anything, since LDL level are already in the required range.

warriorguy · Answer

Want to discuss the reasoning for option B. According to the stem, we need to determine if such foods as chicken/fish is to be added to her diet to increase the HDL. As per option B, HDL's benefit is strictly due to its effect on LDL levels. Since her LDL levels are already within the range, addition of HDL won't be largely beneficial to her. For good health of the heart, her levels are already in place so addition of such foods won't be a huge factor.

As per your reasoning, she can go ahead and add such foods to her diet.

Wanted to know the flaw in my reasoning.

nightblade354 · Answer

Hi  warriorguy ,

The flaw in your thinking is that she doesn't want to eat those foods. She would have consumed them to get her HDL higher, but if she doesn't have to then she won't. She is healthy, and therefore will stick to her plant-based diet.

Does this help?

pikolo2510 · Answer

Hey  abhimahna  /  GMATNinja

can you explain the reason to eliminate option D?

if both good and bad cholesterol go down because of plant-based of diets, then eating food such as chicken or fish would be beneficial to counter the effect of plant-based diet on good cholesterol

Hence I marked D. can you let me know your thoughts here?

himanshu0123 · Answer

B] say that, The benefit of HDL is stricly due to HDL's effect on LDL levels

I dont know whether the effect is good or bad. How do I draw inferences from this option?

GMATGuruNY · Answer

From Webster's dictionary:
 benefit  =  something that produces good effects 
Since B refers to the BENEFIT of HDL, its effect on LDL levels must be GOOD.

himanshu0123 · Answer

Hi  GMATGuruNY

How does the choice below helps to explain that more or less HDL is needed for the body to maintain less levels of LDL?

GMATGuruNY · Answer

At its core, this is a PLANNING argument.

Plan: To consume foods such as chicken or fish that would increase the blood level of HDL.
Goal: To maintain heart health.

According to the passage, Nandipa's LDL level is already  within the range considered optimal for heart heath .
 OPTIMAL for heart health  = at the BEST level for heart health

According to B, HDL has only ONE benefit: its effect on LDL levels.
Thus, Nandipa has no reason to increase her HDL, since her LDL is ALREADY at the BEST level for heart health.

Raman109 · Answer

Understanding the argument -
Nandipa wishes to maintain her heart health, strictly follows a plant-based diet and has successfully maintained her blood level of LDL, ''bad'' cholesterol at well within the range considered optimal for heart health. Fact
But she is worried that her blood of HDL, ''good'' cholesterol, is lower than is often considered optimal for heart health, and has thus considered consuming foods such as chicken or fish that would increase her blood level of this beneficial substance. - Premise and conclusion.

The question stem asks us to determine what should be most significant for Nandipa in determining whether to add such foods to her diet.
What makes her decide whether to add fish or chicken to her diet to raise HDLs or not?

Option Elimination-

A. HDL can help to protect against the accumulation of plagues (fatty deposits) in the arteries - It's good to know. But firstly, LDLs are already in the range, and secondly, HDLs are good, and we know it. Moreover, she has already considered adding it, and this shares the positives. What we need is if something could make her drop the new diet plan.
B. The benefit of HDL is strictly due to its effect on LDL levels - oh, ok. We know HDLs are good. This explains that they are good only because of their effect on LDLs, but we know her LDLs are already low. So why change her diet? So this option tries to say, you know fish is good, increases HDLs, and HDLs are good, but by the way, HDLs only affect LDLs, and your LDLs are already low. This can make her change her decision.
C. The body produces all of the LDL it needs; so it is unnecessary to consume food containing this form of cholesterol - We are concerned about HDLs here. Distortion.
D. Plant-based diets reduce the sum of both ''good'' and ''bad'' cholesterol - We are concerned about chicken and fish and weather to take it or now. Distortion.
E. There are other good besides chicken or fish that can increase the level of good cholesterol - other sources are out of scope.

Nandipa wishes to maintain her heart health, strictly follows a plant.

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Nandipa wishes to maintain her heart health, strictly follows a plant.

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