Carrots are known to be one of the best sources of naturally occurring

Question

Carrots are known to be one of the best sources of naturally occurring vitamin A. However, although farmers in Canada and the United States report increasing demand for carrots over the last decade, the number of people diagnosed with vitamin A deficiency in these countries has also increased in that time.

Each of the following, if true of Canada and the United States over the last decade, helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy described above EXCEPT:

Each of the following, if true of Canada and the United States over the last decade, helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy described above EXCEPT:

(A) The population has significantly increased in every age group.
(B) The purchase of peeled and chopped carrots has become very popular, though carrots are known to lose their vitamins quickly once peeled.
(C) Certain cuisines that have become popular use many more vegetable ingredients, including carrots, than most cuisines that were previously popular.
(D) Carrot consumption has increased only among those demographic groups that have historically had low vitamin A deficiency rates.
(E) Weather conditions have caused a decrease in the availability of carrots.

AndrewN · Accepted Answer

Good question,  mariaballo . I will comment on the passage and answer choices below.

Note, first, that we are dealing with an EXCEPT question, so we are looking for the one incorrect answer in a sea of reasonable options. Since the question stem makes reference to  the apparent discrepancy , we need to be able to outline just what that discrepancy may be. The  however  that prefaces the second sentence nicely sets up a contrast:

Carrots are a great source of vitamin A (sentence one)   Farmers in a certain area  report increasing demand for carrots  over the past ten years, yet more people in this area have been diagnosed with  vitamin A deficiency  in that same period of time (sentence two)

Our job is to find an answer choice that would NOT help create a logical bridge between the increased demand of something that helps with vitamin A stores and the increased prevalence of vitamin A deficiency.

If  the population has significantly increased  across the board, then it makes more sense that   the number  of people diagnosed with vitamin A deficiency  would increase, and the discrepancy would be resolved. Thus, this is  not  the answer we are seeking.

If peeled carrots  lose their vitamins quickly  and people have been consuming more of these peeled carrots, then, again, it makes sense that more people would be deficient in vitamin A even while eating carrots. Since this information helps resolve the discrepancy, we need to look elsewhere.

This answer choice says that vegetables in general— including carrots —have been growing in popularity because  certain cuisines that have become popular  incorporate such ingredients. So, we do see increased consumption of carrots, or half of the necessary pieces to the puzzle. The problem is that we would logically presume that increased consumption of carrots would lead to increased bioavailability of vitamin A, and the increase in vitamin A-deficient people would remain a mystery. Thus, we do  not  have a compelling reason that could explain the discrepancy, and we have met the EXCEPT condition.

We would expect people who  have historically had low vitamin A deficiency rates  to be deficient in vitamin A, and if these people  increased  their consumption of carrots, we would think (or hope) that some of them would restore their vitamin A balance. However, if this is the  only  group that has been increasing its carrot consumption, that leaves the rest of the larger non-carrot-consuming population at risk of developing vitamin A deficiency. Once again, the discrepancy makes sense. The farmers could report  increasing demand for carrots  (from people historically deficient in vitamin A) while  the number of people diagnosed with vitamin A deficiency  could also increase.

If carrots are unavailable, then  demand  could be as high as possible, per the passage, but there would still be plenty of carrot-less consumers left to look for their vitamin A elsewhere, and perhaps these people could account for the increased number in diagnoses of vitamin A deficiency.

In short, each answer choice would help to explain the two seemingly contradictory pieces of information except for (C), which focuses exclusively on half of the necessary information.

Perhaps that makes more sense now. Good luck with your studies.

- Andrew

unraveled · Answer

Carrots are known to be one of the best sources of naturally occurring vitamin A. However, although farmers in Canada and the United States report increasing demand for carrots over the last decade, the number of people diagnosed with vitamin A deficiency in these countries has also increased in that time.

Each of the following, if true of Canada and the United States over the last decade, helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy described above EXCEPT:

Each of the following, if true of Canada and the United States over the last decade, helps to resolve the apparent discrepancy described above EXCEPT:

(A) The population has  significantly increased  in every age group. - WRONG. 
(B) The purchase of peeled and chopped carrots has become very popular, though  carrots are known to lose their vitamins quickly once peeled . - WRONG. Clear reason to eliminate.
(C) Certain cuisines that have become popular use many more vegetable ingredients, including carrots, than most cuisines that were previously popular. - CORRECT. Popularity increased demand of carrots but it leaves one wondering how other aspect is resolved, eventually leading to nowhere. 
(D) Carrot  consumption has increased only  among those demographic groups that have historically had low vitamin A deficiency rates. - WRONG. Other demographics may have caused that increase.
(E) Weather conditions have caused a decrease in the availability of carrots. - WRONG. I chose this one for the reason that weather is a temporary phenomenon whereas passage specifically mentions that number of people diagnosed with vitamin A deficiency has increased over the LAST DECADE. Such long period can't be called weather. However, now, relative to C this is not better in the sense that it gives supply-demand economics framework that may caused such discrepancy.

Answer C.

siddharth_ · Answer

Underestood the answer and explanation. Asking for confirmation --- 
Isn't D saying that people who had low deficiency rates, i.e., people who already had better vitamin D profiles started eating more carrots, and thus the ones who are actually deficient are still deficient?

PSKhore · Answer

The user needs to identify the statement that does not help resolve the apparent discrepancy. The discrepancy is that despite increasing demand for carrots (a source of vitamin A), the number of people with vitamin A deficiency is also increasing in Canada and the United States. The option that does not offer a reason for this is the correct answer.

(A) The population has significantly increased in every age group. A population increase could lead to a rise in vitamin A deficiency. This helps resolve the discrepancy.

(B) The purchase of peeled and chopped carrots has become very popular, though carrots are known to lose their vitamins quickly once peeled. This provides a reason for the discrepancy. Increased consumption of carrots that have lost their vitamin content might not translate to increased vitamin A intake. This helps resolve the discrepancy.

(C) Certain cuisines that have become popular use many more vegetable ingredients, including carrots, than most cuisines that were previously popular. This statement suggests that overall vegetable consumption, including carrots, is on the rise. This would logically lead to an increase in vitamin A intake, which goes against the observed increase in vitamin A deficiency. This statement does not help resolve the discrepancy.

(D) Carrot consumption has increased only among those demographic groups that have historically had low vitamin A deficiency rates. If only those who already have adequate vitamin A are eating more carrots, it would explain why the overall deficiency rate in the population might still be increasing. This helps resolve the discrepancy.

(E) Weather conditions have caused a decrease in the availability of carrots. A decrease in the availability of carrots due to weather conditions could lead to lower consumption and contribute to the rise in vitamin A deficiency. This helps resolve the discrepancy.
 
Therefore, the answer is (C).

Carrots are known to be one of the best sources of naturally occurring

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Carrots are known to be one of the best sources of naturally occurring

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615 to 715 in 15 Days (Ria's Strategies)

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