Nutritionist Dr. Helen Park challenges the popular belief that eating after 8 PM leads to weight gain. She argues that total caloric intake matters far more than meal timing, and that the body processes nutrients the same way regardless of when food is consumed.
Which research finding would best support Dr. Park's position?
Participants who ate 2,000 calories daily maintained their weight regardless of whether they ate before or after 8 PM
People who eat late at night often prefer high-calorie snacks
The stomach produces digestive enzymes at all hours
Shift workers often struggle with weight management
Correct Answer: A
Choice A is the best answer. This directly demonstrates that timing doesn't affect weight when calories are controlled.
- Context clues: Park claims timing doesn't matter, only "total caloric intake."
- Evidence evaluation: Same calories, different timing, same weight = timing irrelevant.
- Verify: The controlled comparison isolates timing as the only variable.
đź’ˇ Strategy: Look for controlled experiments that isolate the specific variable.
Choice B is incorrect because it suggests late eating correlates with higher calories—not addressing timing. Choice C is incorrect because enzyme production doesn't prove weight outcomes. Choice D is incorrect because shift worker struggles involve multiple confounding factors.