Fast food industry representative: Many people blame fast food alone for the rise in obesity in the United States over the past thirty years. Yet clearly, sedentary lifestyles have also played a major role in this trend. In the past thirty years, the number of people who report exercising less than twice a week has risen sharply, and studies show that a sedentary lifestyle is the most accurate predictor of obesity.
In the fast food industry representative’s argument, the portion in boldface plays which of the following roles?