Every year, children are born with neural tube defects, ...

Question

Every year, children are born with neural tube defects, which can prevent full formation of the brain or closing of the base of the spine, causing paralysis. A primary cause was found to be a deficiency of folic acid, an essential nutrient, in the diets of pregnant women. To reduce the incidence of these birth defects, the country of Islandia began to require folic acid supplementation of all wheat flour. This ensured that everyone received adequate amounts of folic acid in their diets, thereby preventing neural tube defects in children. 
 
Each of the following, if true, helps to explain how the supplementation of wheat flour could have prevented neural tube defects in children EXCEPT:

(A) Pregnant women whose families did not traditionally eat food containing folic
acid found it easier to supplement their diets with the nutrient when it was already
contained in a staple such as wheat flour.

(B) Aware that wheat flour had additional health benefits, Islandia residents consumed larger amounts of wheat flour than before the supplementation began.

(C) The supplementation of folic acid caused wheat flour distributors to more aggressively compete for customers, who they expected to seek out their products for health reasons.

(D) Pregnant women who ignored recommended supplements such as folic acid could not avoid including wheat flour in their daily diet.

(E) Prompted by the country's emphasis on folic acid supplementation, pregnant women sought out other foods that naturally contain folic acid.

GH-05.21.13 - OE to follow

akashb106 · Answer

(A) Pregnant women whose families did not traditionally eat food containing folic 
acid found it easier to supplement their diets with the nutrient when it was already 
contained in a staple such as wheat flour.---  Incorrect because this explains that families of pregnant women who did not use to eat food containing folic acid, now have the nutrient in their diets because it was contained in wheat flour. Intake of folic acid increasing.

(B) Aware that wheat flour had additional health benefits, Islandia residents 
consumed larger amounts of wheat flour than before the supplementation began.---  Since Residents consumed larger amounts of what, there is now a greater intake of folic acid. Incorrect. 
 
(C) The supplementation of folic acid caused wheat flour distributors to more
aggressively compete for customers, who they expected to seek out their products for health reasons.---  CORRECT. This answer choice just tells us that the distributors compete for customers. This does not provide any information that the consumers actually buy and consume wheat flour.

(D) Pregnant women who ignored recommended supplements such as folic acid 
could not avoid including wheat flour in their daily diet.---  Since pregnant women cannot avoid wheat flour, their intake of folic acid has increased from previously trying to avoid supplements of folic acid. Incorrect.

(E) Prompted by the country's emphasis on folic acid supplementation, pregnant 
women sought out other foods that naturally contain folic acid.----  Since the pregnant women realized that there is a need of folic acid in their diets to avoid the defect, they started looking for foods with folic acid (Wheat).

WillEconomistGMAT · Answer

Good answer, akashb106. On an unrelated note, shouldn't that be "whom" in response (C) instead of "who"? Can we get a SC expert on that?

avohden · Answer

Official Explanation

Answer: C    This is an explanation question, and also an "except" question, which tends to make things a bit harder. The passage describes the requirement that wheat flour be supplemented with folic acid so that pregnant women consume more folic acid, thus avoiding birth defects. Four of the choices will describe ways in which the supplementation limits birth defects; we're looking for the one that does not: (A) This describes a way in which pregnant women who did not consume enough folic acid will start consuming enough. (B) This choice suggests that the supplementation had a publicity effect that caused people to consume more folic acid. (C) This is correct. The important thing is that pregnant women consume folic acid, not which wheat flour distributors earn the most business. (D) This choice shows that supplementing wheat flour helped reach even those women who would not otherwise take recommendations. (E) This is yet another way in which the supplementation plan helped get more folic acid in the diets of pregnant women.

Hope this helps.

abhijeetjha · Answer

Hey I am convinced that C is one of the options which is doing nothing to help explain how the supplementation of wheat flour prevents the defects in children...But not convinced with your logic on option E ..option E says that pregnant women sought out other foods that naturally contain folic acid...As u say this leads them to opt for Wheat flour supplemented with folic acid..Does wheat flour naturally contains folic acid???No it is being supplemented artificially with folic acid..this leads to a contradiction with option E ...and as such this option does nothing to explain how supplementation of wheat flour prevents the defect....As per this option may be the country's emphasis on folic acid led the pregnant women to include it in their diet ..But not the artificial way .....

bb61 · Answer

Every year, children are born with neural tube defects, which can prevent full formation of the brain or closing of the base of the spine, causing paralysis. A primary cause was found to be a deficiency of folic acid, an essential nutrient, in the diets of pregnant women. 
To reduce the incidence of these birth defects, the country of Islandia began to require folic acid supplementation of all wheat flour. This ensured that everyone received adequate amounts of folic acid in their diets, thereby preventing neural tube defects in children. 
 
Each of the following, if true,  helps to explain how the supplementation of wheat flour could have prevented neural tube defects in children  EXCEPT:

(A) Pregnant women whose families did not traditionally eat food containing folic acid  found it easier to supplement their diets with the nutrient  when it was already contained in a staple such as wheat flour.
this option addresses ease of access

(B)  Aware  that wheat flour had additional health benefits, Islandia residents  consumed larger amounts of wheat flour than before  the supplementation began.
this option addresses increase in awareness among
(C) The supplementation of folic acid caused  wheat flour distributors to more aggressively compete for customers , who they expected to seek out their products for health reasons.
competition among wheat flour distributors does not mean increase in the number of consumer or in the amount of consumption. so, this option does not impact the argument
(D) Pregnant women who ignored recommended supplements such as folic acid  could not avoid including wheat flour in their daily diet. 
this option indicates increase in consumption

(E) Prompted by the country's emphasis on folic acid supplementation, pregnant women sought out other foods that naturally contain folic acid.
although this option does not address the consumption of folic acid through wheat flour, but it indicates that this action leads to increase in consumption of folic acid.

goforgmat · Answer

C Clearly does nothing to explain how neural tube defects could be prevented.
But Option E says Supplementation not supplementation of Wheat.
I feel E is not well worded. any thoughts?

abhishekdadarwal2009 · Answer

Every year, children are born with neural tube defects, which can prevent full 
formation of the brain or closing of the base of the spine, causing paralysis. A
primary cause was found to be a deficiency of folic acid, an essential nutrient, 
in the diets of pregnant women. To reduce the incidence of these birth defects, 
the country of Islandia began to require folic acid supplementation of all wheat 
flour. This ensured that everyone received adequate amounts of folic acid in
their diets, thereby preventing neural tube defects in children.

Each of the following, if true, helps to explain how the supplementation of wheat 
flour could have prevented neural tube defects in children  EXCEPT :

(A) Pregnant women whose families did not traditionally eat food containing folic 
acid found it easier to supplement their diets with the nutrient when it was already 
contained in a staple such as wheat flour. 
This choice explains how it was easier for some families to include folic acid rich diet,it explains the plans success cause.

(B) Aware that wheat flour had additional health benefits, Islandia residents 
consumed larger amounts of wheat flour than before the supplementation began. 
plan spreads awareness and thus plan is succeeding.

(C) The supplementation of folic acid caused wheat flour distributors to more
aggressively compete for customers, who they expected to seek out their products for health reasons. 
Correct choice of the question.because wheat flour distributior's competition is out of scope.

(D) Pregnant women who ignored recommended supplements such as folic acid 
could not avoid including wheat flour in their daily diet. 
Easy understandable. out.

(E) Prompted by the country's emphasis on folic acid supplementation, pregnant 
women sought out other foods that naturally contain folic acid. 
The motive is to increase the folic acid intake and it is increasing by the awareness about it,supports the plan.

Dbrunik · Answer

Question is totally wrong and the correct answer should be B.

(B) Aware that wheat flour had additional health benefits, Islandia residents consumed larger amounts of wheat flour than before the supplementation began.

this answer choice states that before the supplementation requirement was instituted, Islandia residents were consuming larger amounts of wheat flour.

JuniqueLid · Answer

A quite interesting question - adding my 2cents in case it helps someone else who thinks like me and struggled with it.

(A) Pregnant women whose families did not traditionally eat food containing folic
acid found it easier to supplement their diets with the nutrient when it was already
contained in a staple such as wheat flour.

(B) Aware that wheat flour had additional health benefits, Islandia residents consumed larger amounts of wheat flour than before the supplementation began.  >> quesitonable. "Islandia residents" can be anyone including pregnant women, males, kids, etc. which may seem an over-generalisation, but  since it covers pregnant women, it can help  (this is the part I didn't recognise and got wrong at the first try). Eliminate.

(C) The supplementation of folic acid caused wheat flour distributors to more aggressively compete for customers, who they expected to seek out their products for health reasons.  >> Initially I thought this could help because "what if distributors aggressively competing for customers led to greater reach to pregnant women who previously were unaware or didn't have access to supplemented wheat flour". However, after more carefully assessing it, I realised that since all wheat flour is mandated to have folic acid supplementation, all pregnant women should now have equal access regardless of how distributors market or compete for customers. Distributors' efforts do not help. Keep.

(D) Pregnant women who ignored recommended supplements such as folic acid could not avoid including wheat flour in their daily diet.  >> Helps. Eliminate.

(E) Prompted by the country's emphasis on folic acid supplementation, pregnant women sought out other foods that naturally contain folic acid.  >> Not only wheat flour is suplemented with folic acid, pregnant women now proactively seek out additional folic acid intake elsewhere - helps. Besides, it is reasonable to assume there are pregnant women who cannot eat or don't eat wheat flour products, therefore the prompted actions of seeking other naturally folic acid rich foods also help. Eliminate.

Every year, children are born with neural tube defects, ...

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Every year, children are born with neural tube defects, ...

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