Obesity results when a person consumes significantly more calories than energy burned over a long period of time, though at this point scientists cannot point to a single cause of obesity. In a large majority of obesity cases, the causes are related to genetic factors that influence the metabolism of fat and that regulate the hormones and proteins that control appetite. A person's appetite is determined by different processes that occur both in the brain and the digestive system. During digestion, carbohydrates break down into different types of sugar molecules, including glucose. Immediately after eating, blood glucose levels rise, which triggers the release of insulin, a hormone that helps change glucose into energy. As the insulin pours into the bloodstream, it pushes the glucose into cells. Insulin is a significant factor in terms of obesity because it helps determine which nutrients will be burned for energy and which will be stored in cells for future use. Recent studies have found that the faster a cell processes insulin, the more fat it stores. This might be one cause of obesity, though there may be other factors to consider, and to date no one theory has been determined to be conclusive.

Consider all that apply

What function might a medication perform to decrease the obesity of the user?

A. It could help the user process insulin more quickly.
B. It could cause the user to produce more insulin.
C. It could slow the rate at which cells process insulin.



Which of the following best characterizes the function of the boldfaced sentence of the passage?

A. It provides evidence on which a theory is based.
B. It summarizes a theory with which the author agrees.
C. It restates a point made earlier in the passage.
D. It disproves a commonly accepted theory.
E. It presents a specific application of a general concept.