Some people suggest anti-obesity measures (AOM) such as displaying calorie information in restaurant menus. Such measures sidestep addressing the core problems that cause obesity: poverty and income inequality. Which one of the following statements best summarizes the above passage? A. The proposed AOM addresses the core problems that cause obesity. B. If obesity reduces, poverty will naturally reduce, since obesity causes poverty. C. AOM are addressing the core problems and are likely to succeed. D. AOM are addressing the problem superficially.

GATE 2021 · General Aptitude · Verbal Reasoning · medium

Answer: Option D is correct. The passage's central argument is that AOM like calorie displays bypass the real causes of obesity (poverty and income inequality), making such measures superficial in their approach.

1. Evaluate option A: The passage says AOM sidestep (i.e., do NOT address) core problems. Option A claims the opposite, that AOM do address core problems. This directly contradicts the passage.
2. Evaluate option B: The passage says poverty causes obesity, not that obesity causes poverty. Option B reverses the causal arrow and introduces a claim not made in the passage.
3. Evaluate option C: Option C claims AOM address core problems and are likely to succeed. This directly contradicts the passage, which says AOM sidestep core problems.
4. Evaluate option D: 'Sidestepping core problems' is equivalent to addressing the problem superficially. Option D — 'AOM are addressing the problem superficially' — accurately captures the author's argument that these measures deal only with symptoms, not root causes.