Which statement reflects the asserted position about the US food industry?

• A. The US food industry must encourage Americans to overeat if it is to remain profitable.
• B. The US food industry should promote only low-calorie foods.
• C. The US food industry has no influence on consumer choices.
• D. The US food industry is tightly regulated to prevent overeating.

Answer: (A)

The idea being tested is that profits in the US food industry rely on increasing consumption. The statement in question asserts that to stay profitable, the industry must encourage Americans to overeat. This captures a critical view of how marketing and product design can push higher intake—larger portions, value upsells, frequent promotions, and highly appealing, calorie-dense foods—driving more purchases and more calories sold. That’s why this option stands out: it directly ties profitability to greater consumption, which is the stance being examined.

The other possibilities don’t fit that perspective. Promoting only low-calorie foods would limit profits in many markets, industry influence on consumer choices is well-documented, and being tightly regulated to prevent overeating would imply constraints on profits rather than describing the industry’s asserted motive.