All of a town's residents entered a yearlong weight loss challenge. The goal was to test whether exercising more increased a participant's chances of losing weight. In the end, although the participants who exercised the most did not lose the most weight, the challenge organizers determined that more exercise did lead to greater weight loss.
Which of the following, if true, most helps explain how the organizers drew the above conclusion?
A)The participants who did not exercise did lose a small amount of weight.
B)For each participant, the more he or she exercised, the more weight he or she lost.
C)The participants' weight loss tended to slow as the year progressed.
D)Participants who exercised more enjoyed other benefits, such as increased happiness and a more active lifestyle.
E)The participants who lost the most weight also changed their diets.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If each participant lost more weight the more he or she exercised, that explains how the organizers concluded that increasing exercise bettered the chances of losing weight. Even though the group results were different, this answer shows at an individual level, the prediction was true, resolving the apparent paradox.

All of a Town's Residents Entered a Yearlong Weight Loss