Question

Which of the following is used by the text author to explain why people exhibit differences in metabolic efficiency?

1) Metabolic efficiency is advantageous for surviving in an environment where calories are hard to obtain.
2) Metabolic efficiency results in obesity but does not result in health disorder.
3) The excessive accumulation of fat is a social proxy for wealth.
4) Obesity allowed hunter-gatherers to forage for long periods of time.
5) Genetic mutations involving metabolic efficiency are quite common.

Answer 1

In many animals, storing excess calories as fat is an adaptive response to periods of famine, but in the modern world, it has become a health threat.

Step-by-step explanation:

The text author uses the statement: In many animals, there is a pattern of storing excess calories as fat to be used in times when food is not readily available. This indicates that the accumulation of fat is an evolutionary advantage that allowed our ancestors to survive during periods of famine. However, in the modern world where food is easily accessible, this excess fat accumulation has become chronic and is considered a major health threat.