LR Problem Set #2, Q: 142

[moshei24]

In this question when it says that the people gained apprx. one lb per year after age 35, is it saying that they gained on average one lb? Because if so, then choice C makes sense, that in reality it wasn't weighing less that made people die earlier, it just happened to be that most people who stayed the same weight after age 35, stayed that weight because they smoked, and most people who gained weight, gained weight because they didn't smoke, and that explains the paradox. The difference in how long those people lived was really based on if they smoked or not, not on if they gained weight or not.

Can you maybe clarify this question a little bit? I think I have a solid understanding of it, but it would be helpful to have to cleared up a little bit.

No rush on the answers. I understand that I post a lot.

Thanks!

[Joshua Kronick]

The first step is isolating what the paradox is, and it seems like you've done that. Here the paradox is that despite the the studies that have associated weight gain with a host of health problems that tend to lower life expectancy, the 35+ group that gained on avg. one pound a year outlived the static weight group. The correct answer for a paradox question must be able to explain why the group who gained weight lived longer than the group who did not.

Answer choice (C) tells us that in fact, the group where the weight remained static was likely smokers, and they tend to have shorter life spans. This is why the weight gain group outlived the static weight group, because it was non smokers vs. smokers, it had nothing to do with the actual direct health implications of weight gain vs no weight gain. Notice how this resolves the issue of the other studies which associated weight gain with health problems.