Does fat in foods make me fat?

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Sarah Alligood, MPH, RD
International Food Information Council Foundation
http://www.ific.org/  
 

<span>Sarah Alligood is a registered dietitian specializing in nutrition communications. She has always loved food and cooking and operated by the principle that food is just as much a pleasure as a necessity.  Sarah recently moved from North Carolina to Washington, DC where she works at the International Food Information Council (IFIC) Foundation <font><span>(<a>www.ific.org</a>). </span></font>IFIC is a nonprofit organization that communicates science-based information on food safety and nutrition to the media, health professionals, and others that come into contact with consumers.  At IFIC, Sarah monitors the ever-evolving nutrition communications environment and analyzes how this environment influences the decisions that people make when it comes to food and health.  She has also authored several articles on nutrition topics and delivered presentations to a variety of audiences ranging from preschoolers to college students to professionals.  Sarah is an active member of the American Dietetic Association and the Society for Nutrition Education.  She earned her Master of Public Health in Nutrition from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has diverse experience in the food and nutrition arena from the Stanford University Dining Services in Palo Alto, CA, to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, NC, and Piedmont Health Services WIC clinic in Prospect Hill, NC.  Sarah also performed with a modern dance company in college and has recently dusted off her dancing shoes. </span>

Does fat in foods make me fat?

 

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Host: Does fat in food make me fat?

Sarah Alligood: Fat in your food doesnt equal fat in your body. There are three types of nutrients that provide you with calories, those are carbohydrates, protein and fats. Fats is just like carbohydrate and protein, so when it goes in your body it is broken down into smaller particles that then provide energy for your body. So if your body needs energy to move around, it is going to use it up for that, if maybe you have got more food at the time that you need for energy then it will be stored away for use at a later time and maybe there isn't as much food available for your body. It is important to remember that when you are trying to lose weight it is the function of calories. When you expend more calories than you take in, that is when you lose weight. So regardless of the source of calories, you will lose weight if you expend more than you take in.

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