In healthy weight management, approximately how many kilocalories (Calories) are equivalent to 1 pound of body fat?

• A. About 3,500 Calories (kcal)
• B. About 500 Calories (kcal)
• C. About 1,000 Calories (kcal)
• D. About 7,000 Calories (kcal)

Answer: (A)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that body fat stores energy, and this energy can be measured in kilocalories (kcal), which are commonly referred to as Calories in nutrition.
2. Recognize that in weight management, a common estimate is used to relate the amount of energy stored in body fat to weight change.
3. Recall or research the standard approximation that 1 pound of body fat contains about 3,500 kilocalories of energy.
4. This means that to lose or gain 1 pound of body fat, there needs to be a deficit or surplus of approximately 3,500 kilocalories.
5. Therefore, the answer to the question is based on this widely accepted estimate of energy content in body fat.