Public health researchers launched a comprehensive diabetes prevention program in three underserved communities, combining nutritional education, exer...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Public health researchers launched a comprehensive diabetes prevention program in three underserved communities, combining nutritional education, exercise training, and peer support groups. Participants showed significant improvements in dietary habits, physical activity levels, and health markers during the intensive six-month program period. Dr. Jennifer Kim, the study's principal investigator, observed that participants not only achieved measurable health improvements but also developed strong social networks within their communities centered around healthy lifestyle choices. Given these results, Dr. Kim predicts that program participants will maintain their healthy behaviors and continue to influence others in their communities over the long term.
Which finding, if true, would most strongly support the researcher's prediction?
Participants who joined the program earlier tend to recruit family members and neighbors at higher rates than those who joined later.
Follow-up assessments reveal that participants sustain their dietary improvements and exercise habits even five years after program completion, showing no significant regression in healthy behaviors.
The three communities selected for the program had similar baseline rates of diabetes and other chronic health conditions before the intervention began.
Program participants report feeling more connected to their communities and more confident about their health decisions immediately after completing the program.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Create Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Public health researchers launched a comprehensive diabetes prevention program in three underserved communities, combining nutritional education, exercise training, and peer support groups.' |
|
| 'Participants showed significant improvements in dietary habits, physical activity levels, and health markers during the intensive six-month program period.' |
|
| 'Dr. Jennifer Kim, the study's principal investigator, observed that participants not only achieved measurable health improvements but also developed strong social networks within their communities centered around healthy lifestyle choices.' |
|
| 'Given these results, Dr. Kim predicts that program participants will maintain their healthy behaviors and continue to influence others in their communities over the long term.' |
|
Provide Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Dr. Kim predicts that diabetes prevention program participants will maintain healthy behaviors and influence their communities long-term based on the program's initial success and observed social network development.
Argument Flow: The passage establishes a successful diabetes prevention program that showed positive health results during its six-month duration. Dr. Kim observed that beyond health improvements, participants formed strong social networks around healthy choices. Based on these combined results, she now predicts lasting behavior change and community influence.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Dr. Kim's prediction has two parts: (1) participants will maintain their healthy behaviors long-term, and (2) they'll continue influencing others in their communities
- To support this prediction, we need evidence that shows either or both of these things actually happening over time
- The strongest support would be direct evidence of sustained behavior change, ideally measured well after the program ended
- We want to see that the improvements weren't just temporary during the intensive program period but actually lasted
Participants who joined the program earlier tend to recruit family members and neighbors at higher rates than those who joined later.
✗ Incorrect
- This focuses on recruitment patterns during the program, not long-term maintenance
- While recruitment might suggest some influence, it doesn't prove participants themselves maintained behaviors
Follow-up assessments reveal that participants sustain their dietary improvements and exercise habits even five years after program completion, showing no significant regression in healthy behaviors.
✓ Correct
- Shows participants sustained dietary and exercise improvements five years after completion
- Directly proves the first part of Dr. Kim's prediction (long-term behavior maintenance)
- 'No significant regression' confirms behaviors weren't just temporary
- Five years is genuinely long-term, making this strong supporting evidence
The three communities selected for the program had similar baseline rates of diabetes and other chronic health conditions before the intervention began.
✗ Incorrect
- This describes baseline conditions before the program started
- Having similar starting points doesn't predict future behavior maintenance
- This is about program design, not outcomes
Program participants report feeling more connected to their communities and more confident about their health decisions immediately after completing the program.
✗ Incorrect
- Shows immediate post-program feelings, not long-term behavior
- 'Immediately after completing' contradicts the 'long-term' aspect of the prediction
- Feeling confident doesn't prove sustained behavior change over years