Final answer:
Fats play essential roles in the body, including building cell membranes and storing energy. Certain vitamins are fat-soluble and stored in body fat. Excess fat can have negative effects on the body, leading to weight gain and increased strain on the heart, muscles, and joints.
Step-by-step explanation:
Fats, also known as lipids, play essential roles in your body. The body can make most of the fats it needs from other nutrients, so you don't have to have much fat in your diet. All cells need fat for building cell membranes. Fats also are found in high concentrations in brain and nerve cells. Certain vitamins (A, D, E, and K) are fat-soluble, which means that your body stores excess amounts of these vitamins in your body fat. Therefore, these vitamins are more abundant in foods that contain fats. Fats are the major energy store for the body. You get more energy from a gram of fat than from a gram of carbohydrates. Far has about 9 calories per gram. Carbohydrates and protein have about 4 calories per gram. However, if you store too much fat in your body, it can have a negative effect on your body. You gain weight, and your heart, muscles, and joints must work harder to move the extra weight.