A recent study of people who had successfully lost weight an

[Alok chandraS808]

A recent study of people who had successfully lost weight and implemented regular exercise routines in their twenties found that, by the age of forty, most had gained back the weight, stopped exercising regularly, or both. Surprisingly, among the study's subjects who had hired personal trainers to help them lose weight and exercise in their twenties, an even higher percentage had regained the weight or stopped exercising than among subjects who had not hired such trainers. The researchers concluded not only that remaining on an effective weight management and exercise program is difficult, but also that personal trainers are largely ineffective in helping people to remain on an effective weight management and exercise program.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument in the passage above?

a)Subjects in the study who had hired personal trainers had, on average, more free time to exercise than did those who had not hired such trainers.
b)Some people hire personal trainers for sport-specific training or to rehabilitate injuries, rather than to lose weight or implement a regular exercise program.
c)The average person's metabolism slows significantly between the ages of thirty and forty, making it more difficult for people aged forty or older to avoid weight gain.
d)Many of the personal trainers hired by the people in the study were also dietitians who helped their clients design meal plans.
e)Most people who hire personal trainers do so, at least in part, because they lack sufficient motivation to remain on a diet or exercise regimen by themselves.





OA is E.

But as per E, Trainers were appointed for motivation.
But they failed, since people lack motivation just after the trainer stops guiding them and gain weight

The conclusion says trainers are ineffective in helping people to remain in the same weight. Isn't this statement strengthening the conclusion?

[JbhB682]

Hi Experts ...

This is a GMAT prep question and the OA is E in this case......

I actually selected C in this case because

a) in my notes, i put down a note saying in order to weaken the argument given, i need to find for the following

" Need to find some other reason other than a trainer or people being able to adhere to an effective weight management and exercise program" to explain why people put on weight

Reviewing C, i said ...here it is ...another reason for this is Slower Metabolism

Hence selected C

Please let me know where am i going wrong here in my thought process
Thank you !

[JbhB682]

E seems to weaken the highlighted green but does not weaken the highlighted blue ....Should E not weaken the blue AS WELL

C on the other hand seems to weaken both the green and the blue
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A recent study of people who had successfully lost weight and implemented regular exercise routines in their twenties found that, by the age of forty, most had gained back the weight, stopped exercising regularly, or both. Surprisingly, among the study's subjects who had hired personal trainers to help them lose weight and exercise in their twenties, an even higher percentage had regained the weight or stopped exercising than among subjects who had not hired such trainers. The researchers concluded not only that remaining on an effective weight management and exercise program is difficult, but also that personal trainers are largely ineffective in helping people to remain on an effective weight management and exercise program.

Which of the following, if true, most weakens the argument in the passage above?

a)Subjects in the study who had hired personal trainers had, on average, more free time to exercise than did those who had not hired such trainers.
b)Some people hire personal trainers for sport-specific training or to rehabilitate injuries, rather than to lose weight or implement a regular exercise program.
c)The average person's metabolism slows significantly between the ages of thirty and forty, making it more difficult for people aged forty or older to avoid weight gain.
d)Many of the personal trainers hired by the people in the study were also dietitians who helped their clients design meal plans.
e)Most people who hire personal trainers do so, at least in part, because they lack sufficient motivation to remain on a diet or exercise regimen by themselves.

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]

Is this question from the GMAT Prep regular exams or from the paid-for extension pack? If the latter, then we'll have to delete this thread (please see forum rules).

Answer C seems to strengthen the argument that it's hard to maintain weight loss.

Answer E suggests that maintaining weight loss might not be that hard, but it's just difficult for the kind of people who hire personal trainers.

[JbhB682]

This is a Manhattan CAT question (Exam 6 in my case)

I mistakenly typed out earlier this is GMAT (it isnt -- it is Manhattan Prep)

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]

No worries - thanks for correcting.

[JbhB682]

Hi Sage - couple of follow ups

a) is the conclusion the -- blue only or the green only or BOTH ?

b) Is the goal to weaken BOTH the green and the blue at the same time or answer choice that will weaken only the green or weaken only the blue suffice

[Sage Pearce-Higgins]

Interesting question. I think that's a moot point: answer E is the only one that serves to weaken either of those parts. Here's an example of vagueness in a GMAT problem that doesn't affect the precision of the logic.

I can see a couple of interpretations. First, that it's a "double conclusion", trying to prove two claims. In that case, I would say that weakening either of those conclusions would count as weakening the argument.

Second (this is probably the interpretation I tend towards), that the first part of the conclusion (about weight-loss being difficult) is actually an intermediate conclusion that supports the second part. If I can show that weight-loss is difficult, then it partially supports the idea that personal trainers don't help. In this case, only second part is the main conclusion, and that's what the correct answer should weaken.