A Weighty Issue Ielts Reading Answers Jun 2026
The price of food has decreased in many Western countries due to corporate competition.
The passage explains that despite billions spent on diets and weight-loss programs, obesity rates continue to rise. It challenges the common belief that weight gain is simply due to laziness or overeating. Instead, it introduces the concept of a biological “set point” – a weight range that the body defends through hormonal and metabolic adjustments. After weight loss, the body lowers metabolism and increases hunger hormones (like ghrelin) to regain lost fat. This evolutionary adaptation once helped humans survive famines but now backfires in an environment of cheap, calorie-dense food. The passage concludes that long-term weight loss is biologically difficult and that public health should focus on preventing obesity in childhood rather than blaming individuals.
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| Question | Answer | | :--- | :--- | | 1. The increase in obesity is solely due to genetic factors. | (The passage states genetics play a role but emphasizes environmental and behavioral changes.) | | 2. Fast food consumption has risen in parallel with obesity rates. | True (The text provides correlational data linking the rise of fast food outlets to growing waistlines.) | | 3. The author proposes a single solution to solve the obesity crisis. | Not Given (The author reviews many solutions—taxes, education, urban planning—but never claims one is the only solution.) | | 4. Low-income families spend a higher percentage of their income on sugar-sweetened beverages. | True (Look for a sentence comparing expenditure patterns across income brackets.) | A Weighty Issue Ielts Reading Answers
A Weighty Issue: IELTS Reading Answers and Detailed Analysis
Why? This tells you where the author talks about causes (genetics, diet) vs. solutions (policy, education).
Understanding this passage and its question structures is essential for achieving a Band 7 or higher. This comprehensive guide provides the complete answers, detailed explanations, and strategic tips to master this specific text. Core Themes of "A Weighty Issue" The price of food has decreased in many
Obesity is only a problem in English-speaking Western countries.
: Changing Lifestyles (Discusses sedimentary jobs and modern transport).
To score a Band 7 or higher, you must understand how the passage presents its arguments. 1. The Evolutionary Trap Instead, it introduces the concept of a biological
Enhance your lexical resource score by mastering these terms found within the text:
Given these drivers, simple exhortations to “eat less, move more” are inadequate and often counterproductive. They imply moral failure and ignore systemic constraints, exacerbating stigma that deters people from seeking care. Short-term diets can produce weight losses, but most individuals regain lost weight because environmental pressures remain unchanged and biological adaptations (such as reduced resting energy expenditure and increased hunger) promote regain. Behavior-change interventions that do not alter the surrounding context therefore have limited population impact.
Answer: FALSE
Which paragraph (A–F) contains the following information?
When doing Paragraph Matching, look for structural shifts in the text.