GRE® argument essay

[Sudhajoshi8]

A recent study shows that people living on the continent of North America suffer 9 times more chronic fatigue and 31 times more chronic depression than do people living on the continent of Asia. Interestingly, Asians, on average, eat 20 grams of soy per day, whereas North Americans eat virtually none. It turns out that soy contains phytochemicals called isoflavones, which have been found to possess disease–preventing properties. Thus, North Americans should consider eating soy on a regular basis as a way of preventing fatigue and depression.

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The above paragraph suggests that North Americans should consider eating soy on a regular basis as a way to prevent fatigue and depression.It also states that Asians suffer less fatigue and deppression because they consume on an average 20 gms of soy per day.Though the suggestion seems interesting in favour of health of the people of North America but it has few flaws in presenting this argument.

Firstly,The topic is completely based on a study which compares the people in two different continents,which differ in lot of parameters like the lifestyle,general health,difference in eating habits and various other factors.The credibility of the survey is to be questioned as it does not give any idea about the parameters of its survey.Further it does not mention the category,agegroup of the people who took the survey like men or women or children and also about their health backgrounds.

The other flaw is that according to the topic above the people of Asia are less prone to fatigue and depression because the Asians consume an average of 20 gms of soy per day.This has no proper supporting study or survey which ensures that eating soy is the reason for less fatigue.On the other hand eating soy may not be in any way related to the prevention of fatigue or deppression.The people of Asia may be following a different lifestyle with less stresslevels or may be more health conscious and would be excercing more,or eating other foods may be the reason.So the statement has less validity and needs to be checked.

Another flaw is that,according to the passage It turns out that soy contains phytochemicals called isoflavones, which have been found to possess disease–preventing properties and so North Americans should start eating soy.Though it is true that soy is good for health the statement does not clarify how disease preventing property helps reduce fatigue or depression.Also it states that North Americans do not eat soy.The author needs to present perfect facts and figures from a standard survery before he comes to conclusion like what part of people do not eat and how will eating bring change in the fatigue levels and so on.There is no light thrown on these facts.

In short author generalises hastely that since Asians eat soy they have less fatigue and so North Americans also should start eating soy which is not suggestable as it has no proper valid points to support the statement.