In a recent study, a group of subjects had their normal dail

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In a recent study, a group of subjects had their normal daily caloric intake increased by 25 percent. This increase was entirely in the form of alcohol. Another group of similar subjects had alcohol replace non-alcoholic sources of 25 percent of their normal daily caloric intake. All subjects gained body fat over the course of study, and the amount of body fat gained was the same for both groups.

Which one of following is most strongly supported by the information above?

(A) Alcohol is metabolized more quickly by the body than are other food and drinks. 
(B) In general population, alcohol is the primary cause of gains in body fat. 
(C) An increased amount of body fat does not necessarily imply a weight gain. 
(D) Body fat gain is not dependent solely on the number of calories one consumes. 
(E) The proportion of calories from alcohol in a diet is more significant for body fat gain than are the total calories from alcohol

WillEconomistGMAT · Accepted Answer

Hint: one group had their caloric intake increased, but the other group did not.

vinzycoolfire · Answer

u r wrong. if no. of calories is the sole reason for increase in body fat then the first group must have gained more fat than the second group. if you quantify the problem it is easier. assume both groups take 100 cal daily. for group A alcohol is in addition to 100 cal. so total intake is 125cal. for B 25 cal from non alcoholic sources is replaced by alcoholic sources. so total cal is 100cal. only source is changed. YET, the amount of fat gain is same for both. Hence there are other factors than calories alone.

sasikamal · Answer

In a recent study, a group of subjects had their normal daily caloric intake increased by 25 percent. This increase was entirely in the form of alcohol. Another group of similar subjects had alcohol replace non-alcoholic sources of 25 percent of their normal daily caloric intake. All subjects gained body fat over the course of study, and the amount of body fat gained was the same for both groups.

Which one of following is most strongly supported by the information above?

(A) Alcohol is metabolized more quickly by the body than are other food and drinks. 
(B) In general population, alcohol is the primary cause of gains in body fat. 
(C) An increased amount of body fat does not necessarily imply a weight gain. 
(D) Body fat gain is not dependent solely on the number of calories one consumes. 
(E) The proportion of calories from alcohol in a diet is more significant for body fat gain than are the total calories from alcohol

guess D has a flaw in it and this question is lacking a right choice. what if the number of calories one consumes is the sole reason for the body fat gain ?? even in that case the argument may holds true !!

danjay · Answer

Argument assumes that Alcohol provides the maximum calorie .And,nothing can substitute that energy if alcohol intake is less.So less alcohol intake means less calorie.Even less calorie intake is leading to same body fat gain.Consequently,Body fat gain is not dependent solely on the number of calories one consumes.

bschool17 · Answer

Misread the question first time.. note the underlined portion of the premise. 
What it means -> 
 
Group A & B with 3000 cal per person.
Group A -> 3000 cal + 750 cal (in alcohol) = Total 3750 cal
Group B -> 3000 cal ~ replace 750 cal with alcohol = Total 3000 cal  Both Group have 750 cal from alcohol 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
result -> Gained body fat in BOTH !!!

Conclusion : Gained in body fat is  NOT a result of increased calories intake but of content eaten.

Only  D  fits!

Please point out any error in logic here. 
Thanks

Nevernevergiveup · Answer

eliminated options to B and D.
chose B by mistake overlooking general population and underestimating number of calories concept.

Poorvasha · Answer

Let us assume initial calorie intake to be  100  in each group. 
Calorie intake in first group increase by  25 percent . Alcohol was  added  here. New intake = 125
Calorie intake in second group was replaced - 25% of the diet consisting of alcohol was  replaced  by non alcohol.  100+25-25 = 100. .
Calorie intake is definitely more in first group right now but results show the fat gained as same in both, hence, fat gain is not dependent solely on number of calories. There might be other factors. D

AweG · Answer

VERITAS SOLUTION
Solution: D

Since the question stem indicates that the information “above” is supporting answer choices below, the answer choices must be potential conclusions and this is an Inference question. Given that, our first line of defense is the “no new information” filter. Remember that valid conclusions must always (not just sometimes) be true, and therefore must be based entirely on the information found in the premises or they are "out of scope".

Answer choice “A” talks about the metabolization rate of alcohol. This is not found anywhere in the premises, so we have new information. Therefore, we cannot make a conclusion about something we don’t have information on. Answer choice “A” is not necessarily true.

Answer choice “B” talks about the “general population.” While this is a common tendency of researchers to infer characteristics about a general population using an experiment on a subsample, such methods can never lead to “must-always-be-true” conclusions. We should always be cautious about generalizing. Answer choice “B” is not necessarily true based off of the given information.

Ironically, our argument for eliminating answer choice “C” is the same as the wording of answer choice “C”. Answer choice “C” talks about “weight gain.” While the problem talks about “gaining body fat”, this is not necessarily the same thing as “weight gain.” The phrase “weight gain” is not found anywhere in the premises, so answer choice “C” contains new information. Therefore, we cannot make a conclusion about something we don’t have information on. Answer choice “C” is not necessarily true.

Answer choice “D” contains no new information. We can see from the problem that the body fat gain was the same for both groups, regardless of if the group replaced calories with alcohol or supplemented their caloric intake with additional alcohol. (In other words, “different number of calories, same body fat gain.”) If anything, the body fat gain seemed to be dependent more on the number of calories from alcohol than the total number of calories. Thus, body fat gain cannot be dependent solely on the number of calories one consumes. The premises tell us that “D” must always be true.

Answer choice “E” actually is the opposite of any conclusion that can be made using the information above. The experiment tells us that the body fat gain was the same for both groups, regardless of if the group replaced calories with alcohol or supplemented their caloric intake with additional alcohol. (In other words, “different number of calories, same body fat gain.”) If anything, the body fat gain seemed to be dependent more on the number of calories from alcohol than the total number of calories. This is opposite of answer choice “E”. (Though, for the sake of discussion, subgroup experiments can never truly prove explicit causation for a general populace. Any way you look at it, “E” cannot be the correct answer!)

jaisonsunny77 · Answer

In summary:  
assume that total calories consumed is 100 calories for all participants of this study.

Group #1: Alcohol added to their diets, calorie intake increased by 25%. So, effectively, total calorie consumed = 125 calories

Group #2: alcohol replace non-alcoholic sources of 25 percent of their normal daily caloric intake. So, effectively, total calorie consumed = 100 calories.

Commonality between group #1 and group #2: All subjects gained body fat over the course of study, and the amount of body fat gained was the same for both groups.  
 
(A) Alcohol is metabolized more quickly by the body than are other food and drinks.  -  the passage does not differentiate the metabolism rates.   
(B) In general population, alcohol is the primary cause of gains in body fat.  -  the passage does not imply this.  
 (C) An increased amount of body fat does not necessarily imply a weight gain.  -  the passage is not concerned with ''weight gain''.  
(D) Body fat gain is not dependent solely on the number of calories one consumes. - we can certainly support the assertion presented in (D) using the information provided in the passage since both the groups had gained the same amount of body despite the two groups differing the amount of calories consumed. Hence,   (D) is the right answer choice.    
(E) The proportion of calories from alcohol in a diet is more significant for body fat gain than are the total calories from alcohol  -  the passage actually implies that both the proportion of calories in a diet (group #2) and the total calories from alcohol (group #1) have gained the same amount of body fat. So, (E) contradicts what's mentioned in the passage.

mimishyu · Answer

just draw two line charts to better illustrate my way of thinking.....

one group(1) : total calories intake 125 %

(____________________________________non-alcohol sources__ 100% __________________________________) 
 (__alcohol intake increase by  25% __)

another group(2) : total calories intake 100 %

(_____non-alcohol sources from 100% to  75% ____) (______alcohol replace non-alcoholic sources of  25% ____)

(A) Alcohol is metabolized more quickly by the body than are other food and drinks.

metabolism is irrelevant to the topic we’re discussing here

(B) In general population, alcohol is the primary cause of gains in body fat.

we only know alcohol intake would affect the body fat gains, however whether or not its primary cause of body fat gains we cannot say for sure as the stimulus doesn’t show any traces to this

(C) An increased amount of body fat does not necessarily imply a weight gain.

how body fat relate to weight gain doesn’t be a concern here

(D) Body fat gain is not dependent solely on the number of calories one consumes.

the total number of calories intake for group (1) and (2) are 125% and 100%, but the body fat gain is same for both groups, thus we could conclude (D) is correct

(E) The proportion of calories from alcohol in a diet is more significant for body fat gain than are the total calories from alcohol

from the graphs above we know that

“the proportion of calories from alcohol” (A)
group(1) : 25/125= 1/5
group(2) : 25/100= 1/4

“total calories from alcohol” (B)
group(1)= group(2)

also two groups gain the same amount of body fat gain, thus “total calories from alcohol” must be more important a factor to influence the body fat gain than “the proportion of calories from alcohol”, so we could see from this that if (E) reverse the order (A) and (B), then it be correct

Crytiocanalyst · Answer

(A) Alcohol is metabolized more quickly by the body than are other food and drinks.
This isn't proven by the study since in addition to the increase in alcohol consumption the body fat increase was same 
 
(B) In general population, alcohol is the primary cause of gains in body fat. 
The demographic under study isn't vast therefore we cannot take a conclusive decision

(C) An increased amount of body fat does not necessarily imply a weight gain. 
This is thoroughly out of context since the weight gain is never questioned in the passage

(D) Body fat gain is not dependent solely on the number of calories one consumes. 
This can be impied from the passage since with the increase in alcohol content there was no dissimilarity in the weight gain

(E) The proportion of calories from alcohol in a diet is more significant for body fat gain than are the total calories from alcohol
This too is disapproved since we couldn't establish any difference in the study that was conducted

Therefore IMO D

Ved22 · Answer

Superb, event i solved the same way

Dbrunik · Answer

E can easily by ruled out with simple math. group A has 100% calories, it increases this to 125, now the ratio of alcohol calories to total calories is 25/125, or 1/5

group B has 100% as well, and replaces 25% with alcohol. now group b has 25/100, or 1/4 of total calories from Alc

They both had the same amount of weight gain. say it was 10 pounds. you cant claim that the proportion is more significant if the two groups had different proportions and the same outcome.

D

Rickooreoisb · Answer

If you see:

Different totals → same result

Infer:

Total amount alone doesn’t explain outcome.

If an answer says:
 
Ask:
 👉 Did the stimulus show different outcomes when A differed?
If outcomes are same → eliminate.

In a recent study, a group of subjects had their normal dail

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In a recent study, a group of subjects had their normal dail

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