Final answer:
Option C. A pound of body fat contains approximately 3,500 calories. Understanding this is key to managing weight gain or loss, as it determines how much of a calorie deficit or surplus one needs to create to lose or gain a pound of fat.
Step-by-step explanation:
One pound of body fat contains 3,500 calories. If you eat more calories than your body needs, the excess calories will be stored as fat. To lose one pound of body fat, you must eat at least 4,000 fewer calories than your body needs. The number of calories in a pound of fat is a commonly discussed topic when it comes to understanding energy balance and weight management. When we look at the energy content of body fat, we find that 3,500 calories are stored in each pound of fat.
This is a critical piece of information when considering how to maintain or alter body weight. Maintaining weight is a balance of the calories consumed through food and the calories used by the body for daily activities and exercise. If you consume more calories than what your body requires, the excess is stored as body fat. Conversely, to lose a pound of body fat, reducing dietary intake or increasing exercise to create a deficit of 3,500 calories is necessary.