Question: Advertisement: Researchers studied a group of people trying to lose weight and discovered that those in the group who lost the most weight got more calories from protein than from carbohydrates and ate their biggest meal early in the day. So anyone who follows our diet, which provides more calories from protein than from anything else and which requires that breakfast be the biggest meal of the day, is sure to lose weight.

The reasoning in the advertisement is most vulnerable to criticism on the grounds that the advertisement overlooks the possibility that

(A) eating foods that derive a majority of their calories from carbohydrates tends to make one feel fuller than does eating foods that derive a majority of their calories from protein
(B) a few of the people in the group studied who lost significant amounts of weight got nearly all of their calories from carbohydrates and ate their biggest meal at night
(C) the people in the group studied who increased their activity levels lost more weight, on average, than those who did not, regardless of whether they got more calories from protein or from carbohydrates
(D) some people in the group studied lost no weight yet got more calories from protein than from carbohydrates and ate their biggest meal early in the day
(E) people who eat their biggest meal at night tend to snack more during the day and so tend to take in more total calories than do people who eat their biggest meal earlier in the day

Correct Answer: D
Explanation: Choice D raises the question and leads to criticism, what makes weight not loss, as per diet, and why it did not work on all the people, who plan to do a similar diet.

At first this seemed irrelevant, because some things that work generally don’t work for everyone. But, on further consideration, this looks pretty good. The conclusion was, “Anyone who follows our diet is sure to lose weight.” That’s absolute: the ad is claiming it works for everyone. But if D is true, then in the study, there were people who followed the magical high protein / big breakfast prescription and did not lose weight! Option D is the best answer so far. Let us take a look at the other options available.

Option A
Eating foods that derive a majority of their calories from carbohydrates tends to make one feel fuller than does eating foods that derive a majority of their calories from protein.- Incorrect. “feel fuller” has nothing to do with the argument. It wasn’t mentioned in the argument. Plus there’s no connection in this answer choice to actually losing weight. This focus on more calories from carbohydrates, not on breakfast, or protein or intake, this doesn’t contribute anything to conclusion or dent assumption.

Option B
A few of the people in the group studied who lost significant amounts of weight got nearly all of their calories from carbohydrates and ate their biggest meal at night. Incorrect. The other part of another conclusion. But lack of finding flaws in increase of protein and reduction of carbohydrates, and big meal breakfast advantages or disadvantages. This choice just says that there are some exceptions. The point isn’t that this isn’t the only diet. The point is “this diet works.” Even if B is true, it doesn’t prove that this particular advertised diet won’t work. So this can’t be the answer.

Option C
The people in the group studied who increased their activity levels lost more weight, on average, than those who did not, regardless of whether they got more calories from protein or from carbohydrates. Incorrect. This choice says that getting calories from protein is not the only way to reduce weight. But, getting calories from protein is still the way to reduce weight. This stem gives more focus on activity that leads to weight loss, not the diet. If this is true, then it directly connects the people who lost weight in the study to an additional factor (exercise) that is unrelated to diet. Still, even if this is true, it doesn’t prove that the diet doesn’t work. It only proves that exercise does work.

Option E
People who eat their biggest meal at night tend to snack more during the day and so tend to take in more total calories than do people who eat their biggest meal earlier in the day. Incorrect. The argument does not talk about such people. It talks about those who eat the biggest meals at earliest. This would seem to be a strengthener rather than a weakener. Irrelevant to the conclusion to follow diet, it emphasises more emphasis on comparison between day eater and night eater.

“Advertisement: Researchers studied a group of people trying to lose”- is a GMAT critical reasoning topic. This GMAT critical comes with five options and candidates need to choose the one which is correct. GMAT critical reasoning tests the logical and analytical skills of the candidates.

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