151 Benton City residents have adopted healthier lifestyles. A recent survey of city residents shows that the eating habits of city residents conform more closely to government nutritional recommendations than they did ten years ago. During those ten year

The author asserts that the obesity rate of Benton City will be below the national average, for the reasons that a recent study shows that the eating habits of city residents conform more closely to government nutritional recommendations. Although this argument seems plausible at the first glance, a close scrutiny reveals its untenability.

At the first place, the recent survey does not provide a convincing statistics. The author does not point out what nutritional recommendations are, and how city residents conform these recommendations more closely. More information about these recommendations, such as what is the proper amount of salt and oil we should daily used, as well as the corresponding performance of city residents, such as how much oil and vegetables they eat every day, shoule be provided to make comparison. Furthermore, whether these recent recommendations is identical to those ten years ago also should be taken into account. If two sets of recommendations are totally different, the recent survey is useless.

Secondly, the author mistakenly relates the sales of kiran and sulia to the health habits of city residents. On the one hand, the fluctuation of sales would be influenced by many factors. For example, the weather condition during those ten years may be more suitable for the cultivation of kiran than sulia. Without ruling out irrelevant reasons, the author cannot conclude the sales of these two foods are determined by the lifestyle of city residents. On the other hand, even though sulia is not welcomed among the healthiest residents, it does not mean this food would deteriorate the health condition. Maybe the healthiest residents do not like the taste of this food. The author cannot define this food as “healthyless” if the healthiest people do not eat them.

Finally, the author cannot predict the obesity rate, at least bases on the information given in the argument. Only the sales of kiran and sulia cannot provide effective information about the eating habits of city residents. The eating habits of residents depend on many quantities, such as the consumption of vegetables and meat per person per day, and some statistics about the consumption of junk food. Moreover, obesity rate also depends on the lifestyle of residents. Thus the information about the average amount of time spent before electronic devices, as well as time spent to do some sports is also related to the obesity rate.

In conclusion, the author fails to prove that the obesity rate will be below the national average. To make the argument more persuasive, the author should provide more information about the government nutritional recommendations now and ten years ago. More statistics of the amount of vegetables, meat and junk food consumed by residents are also appreciated.