Question

Gastric bypass surgery has been shown to be effective at helping extremely obese people lose weight. Some patients have lost as much as 300 pounds after undergoing the surgery, thereby substantially prolonging their lives. Despite the success of the treatment, most doctors have not embraced the surgery. Which of the following statements, if true, best accounts for the lukewarm reaction of the medical community to gastric bypass surgery?

• A. Gastric bypass surgery carries a high risk of serious complications, including death.
• B. Obesity is one of the leading contributors to heart disease and hypertension, two leading causes of death.
• C. Incidences of obesity among the Indian urban middle class population have been increasing consistently for the last three decades.
• D. Many patients report that losing weight through diets is ineffective, since they usually gain the weight back within six months.
• E. Most health insurance plans will cover the cost of gastric bypass surgery for morbidly obese patients at high risk of heart disease.

Hint:

When a question asks you to explain why a beneficial product or procedure isn't widely adopted, look for a hidden or significant downside. A high risk, a prohibitive cost, or a severe side effect are common reasons that can outweigh the stated benefits and explain professional caution.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Identify the core paradox to be explained.
The central issue is a contradiction: gastric bypass surgery is described as very successful and life-prolonging, yet the medical community ("most doctors") is hesitant to embrace it. The correct answer must provide a strong reason that explains this professional caution despite the proven benefits.
Step 2: Evaluate each statement's ability to explain the doctors' hesitation.
(A) Gastric bypass surgery carries a high risk of serious complications, including death. This provides a direct and compelling reason for doctors' reluctance. The primary ethical guideline for doctors is to "do no harm." If a treatment, however effective, also carries a high risk of causing severe harm or even death, medical professionals would naturally be cautious and "lukewarm" about recommending it. This creates a classic risk-versus-reward dilemma that perfectly explains their cautious stance
(B) Obesity is a leading contributor to major diseases. This statement highlights the severity of the problem that the surgery solves. This would be a reason for doctors to support and embrace the surgery, not be hesitant. It deepens the paradox rather than resolving it.
(C) Incidences of obesity are increasing. Similar to option (B), this emphasizes the growing need for an effective solution like gastric bypass, making the doctors' hesitation even more puzzling. It does not explain their lukewarm reaction.
(D) Diets are ineffective for long-term weight loss. This points out the failure of alternative treatments. The failure of non-surgical options would make an effective surgical option more appealing, not less. This argues for embracing the surgery.
(E) Health insurance covers the surgery. The removal of a financial barrier would make it easier for doctors to recommend and patients to undergo the procedure. This is a factor that would encourage adoption, not explain the reluctance.
Step 3: Conclude the best explanation.
Options B, C, D, and E all provide reasons why gastric bypass surgery should be more popular. Only option (A) offers a significant downside—high risk of severe complications—that logically explains why doctors, who are trained to weigh risks against benefits, would be hesitant to fully embrace it.
Therefore: The high risk of complications is the best explanation for the medical community's lukewarm reaction. \[ \boxed{\text{(A)}} \]