In a recent study, sedentary middle-aged women who drank more than two

Question

In a recent study, sedentary middle-aged women who drank more than two cups of caffeinated tea a day were found more likely than other middle-aged women to have a high blood level of cholesterol, which is a factor increasing the risk of heart disease. Cholesterol can reach the blood from food and drink but is not contained in tea.

Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakness a conclusion from the study that for sedentary middle-aged women tea increases the risk of heart attack?

(A) A sedentary style of life increases levels of cholesterol in the blood.

(B) Tea contains caffeine, which acts as a stimulant that increases heart rate.

(C) The women studied drank their tea without milk or cream, which contain cholesterol.

(D) In both groups, the women were likely to be over-weight, and excess weight is a factor that increases the risk of heart disease.

(E) The women who drank more than two cups of tea a day also at more foods high in cholesterol.

saukrit · Answer

IMO E is the answer as we are asked to weaken the conclusion that causes high cholestrol (for sedentary women)

A) Unrelated 
B) We do not know impact of increased heart rate on cholestrol. Irrelevant 
C) Milk does not contain cholesterol but what about tea.. no info about that
D) There seems to be another reason for heart disease altogether. But we are more worried about the relation between tea and cholesterol. So does not weaken  
 E) The conclusion says, that tea contains no cholesterol, hence it is unlikely that drinking tea is related to high cholesterol. This option says that those who drink 2 cups of tea also eat food in high cholesterol. Hence the overall conclusion is weakened

Hence , my choice is E

Posted from my mobile device

vinayakvaish · Answer

This one is tricky, primarily because of the comparison between two similar groups

Group 1: middle aged-sedentary lifestyle- tea drinker
Group 2: middle aged

Correlation exists between Group 1 and high cholesterol, which leads to heart trouble

A. Enticing- sedentary lifestyle may well be responsible for Group 1's troubles but we have no information on Group 2- they may too lead that lifestyle. the only thing we are specifically told is that G1 is tea drinker whereas G2 is not- Keep It
B. Wrong- we are looking for a weakener
C. Wrong- it is given that tea itself doesnt contain any cholesterol- no new info there
D. Wrong- if both groups are overweight, correlation should appear with both groups
E. So its not tea but the snacks that accompany tea drinking that are causing trouble. Fits Well.

E is best. However, had it been mentioned that G2 is sedentary and middle aged, it would've been less ambiguous.

IanStewart · Answer

The question has two correct answers, A and E. Both tell us the group had high cholesterol for reasons unrelated to tea (their sedentary lifestyle in A, their diet in E), and thus give us a reason to doubt the conclusion that tea was responsible. Not a good question.

In a recent study, sedentary middle-aged women who drank more than two

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In a recent study, sedentary middle-aged women who drank more than two

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