The question:
"The following appeared in the health section of a magazine on trends and lifestyles:
"People who use the artificial sweetener aspartame are better off consuming sugar, since aspartame can actually contribute to weight gain rather than weight loss. For example, high levels of aspartame have been shown to trigger a craving for food by depleting the brain of a chemical that registers satiety, or the sense of being full. Furthermore,studies suggest that sugars, if consumed after at least 45 minutes of continuous exercise, actually enhance the body's ability to burn fat. Consequently, those who drink aspartame-sweetened juices after exercise will also lose this
calorie-burning benefit. Thus it appears that people consuming aspartame rather than sugar are unlikely to achieve their dietary goals."
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc."
My answer:
Firstly, the results drawn from consumption of sugar versus aspartame after exercise could have been applied to a different group of dieters. This weakens the argument as the level of sugar or aspartame consumed by each group of dieters could be different, hence, causing the research outcome to be skewed. The argument could be strengthened if the author states how the research was conducted and perhaps indicate how results were yielded from the research.
Secondly, the author states that having high levels of aspartame will trigger food craving. However, his example does not necessarily represent all dieters who consume high levels of aspartame right before their meals; hunger pangs could also be the trigger for food craving. If the author had stated specifically that high levels of aspartame were taken right after meals, then the argument could have been more convincing.
Thirdly, the author mentioned that taking aspartame can actually contribute to weight gain rather than weight loss. Again, this is an assumption based on a generalization that all dieters who had taken aspartame consumed the same amount and type of food before and after taking aspartame. This weakens the argument because other food consumed by the dieters before or after taking aspartame could have been the main reason for weight gain and not aspartame itself. Without knowing what other kinds of food as taken, it is impossible to assess whether or not this is the case.
In conclusion, the studies cited in the magazine are not reliable and convincing as it stands.
"The following appeared in the health section of a magazine on trends and lifestyles:
"People who use the artificial sweetener aspartame are better off consuming sugar, since aspartame can actually contribute to weight gain rather than weight loss. For example, high levels of aspartame have been shown to trigger a craving for food by depleting the brain of a chemical that registers satiety, or the sense of being full. Furthermore,studies suggest that sugars, if consumed after at least 45 minutes of continuous exercise, actually enhance the body's ability to burn fat. Consequently, those who drink aspartame-sweetened juices after exercise will also lose this
calorie-burning benefit. Thus it appears that people consuming aspartame rather than sugar are unlikely to achieve their dietary goals."
Discuss how well reasoned . . . etc."
My answer:
Firstly, the results drawn from consumption of sugar versus aspartame after exercise could have been applied to a different group of dieters. This weakens the argument as the level of sugar or aspartame consumed by each group of dieters could be different, hence, causing the research outcome to be skewed. The argument could be strengthened if the author states how the research was conducted and perhaps indicate how results were yielded from the research.
Secondly, the author states that having high levels of aspartame will trigger food craving. However, his example does not necessarily represent all dieters who consume high levels of aspartame right before their meals; hunger pangs could also be the trigger for food craving. If the author had stated specifically that high levels of aspartame were taken right after meals, then the argument could have been more convincing.
Thirdly, the author mentioned that taking aspartame can actually contribute to weight gain rather than weight loss. Again, this is an assumption based on a generalization that all dieters who had taken aspartame consumed the same amount and type of food before and after taking aspartame. This weakens the argument because other food consumed by the dieters before or after taking aspartame could have been the main reason for weight gain and not aspartame itself. Without knowing what other kinds of food as taken, it is impossible to assess whether or not this is the case.
In conclusion, the studies cited in the magazine are not reliable and convincing as it stands.
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