Why the other options are wrong:

• finding a link between rice and malnutrition.: The reported measured outcome is obesity, not malnutrition.
• a new study of rice farming.: This is research on dietary intake and obesity, not on farming methods.
• new technology in space travel.: Space-travel technology is unrelated to the diet study.

Correct Answer: might protect against obesity.

Why this is correct: The study's stated conclusion is that eating more rice might protect against obesity. Might preserves the uncertainty in the report and does not turn the finding into a guarantee.

Why the other options are wrong:

• is linked with growing world hunger.: The conclusion concerns obesity, not growing world hunger.
• has an impact on the environment.: Environmental impact is not the outcome of this study. It examines rice intake and obesity rates.
• plays a role in developing diseases.: The stated conclusion suggests possible protection against obesity, not that rice contributes to developing diseases.

Correct Answer: 39.8% of adults aged 20 and over in the United States had obesity in 2015 to 2016.

Why this is correct: The cited CDC data describe US adults aged 20 and over in 2015 to 2016. Their obesity prevalence was 39.8 percent. The answer must preserve the percentage, adult population and measurement period.

Why the other options are wrong:

• 69.8% of adults aged 20 and over in the United States had obesity in 2015 to 2016.: The cited US adult prevalence is 39.8 percent, not 69.8 percent.
• 49.8% of adults worldwide had obesity in 2015 to 2016.: The CDC figure in this report is 39.8 percent for US adults aged 20 and over, not 49.8 percent for adults worldwide.
• 59.8% of adults aged 20 and over in the United States had obesity in 2015 to 2016.: The cited US adult prevalence is 39.8 percent, not 59.8 percent.

Correct Answer: a common staple of rice.

Why this is correct: The report says diets in some countries with low obesity rates share rice as a common staple. Rice is the shared food identified in this comparison.

Why the other options are wrong:

• a preference for rice as an occasional dessert.: The report identifies rice as a common staple, not as an occasional dessert.
• a restriction on rice to special occasions.: The shared feature is rice as a staple food, not a restriction to special occasions.
• a dependence on imported rice varieties.: The comparison identifies a staple food. It does not say that the rice is imported.

Correct Answer: could reduce the worldwide number of adults with obesity by a relative 1%.

Why this is correct: EASO's April 2019 press release reported a hypothetical reduction in the worldwide adult count with obesity from 650 million to 643.5 million. The difference is 6.5 million, which is 1% of 650 million. The estimate concerns a relative change in adult counts; it is not a one-percentage-point prevalence change or a demonstrated effect in individuals.

Why the other options are wrong:

• would eradicate world hunger.: The reported hypothetical outcome is a change in the adult count with obesity. It does not estimate eradication of world hunger.
• would leave water levels unchanged.: The reported hypothetical estimate concerns adults with obesity, not water levels.
• would increase global rice production immediately.: The estimate concerns rice intake and adult obesity counts. It does not predict an immediate increase in global rice production.