The last post about the structure and function of lipids. I mentioned the relationship between fats and health briefly. Whereas trans fats and saturated fats are considered to be unhealthy, cis fats are actually healthy. Today we will discuss how lipids can be advantageous to the human body, which partially contradicts a common stereotype.
Energy Storage of Lipids
One primary reason why lipids are considered beneficial to the body is their ability to store energy. In fact, they are better than carbohydrates in terms of long-term storage. One gram of lipid stores twice the amount of energy in a gram of glycogen. Also, lipids have less effect on osmotic pressure. However, carbohydrates are superior to fats in some aspects. They are more readily digested, allowing them to be used for aerobic respiration as well as anaerobic respiration. Also, carbohydrates are water-soluble, which makes them easier to be transported.
Correlation Between Lipids and CHD
It has been long claimed that an excess amount of lipids contribute significantly to obesity, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. Meanwhile, the claim that trans and saturated fats cause coronary heart disease (CHD) is supported by scientific evidence. This evidence was collected by epidemiological studies comparing different population groups, intervention studies that monitor cohorts following dietary modifications, and experimental designs utilizing animal models (BioNinja). Data revealed that patients who died from CHD displayed high concentrations of trans fats in diseased arteries.
However, it is not concluded that the consumption of trans fats or saturated fats is related to the occurrence of CHD. There are exceptions – people of Massai of Kenya consume large amounts of saturated fats from meat, blood, and milk, but they show a low incidence of CHD. Thus, more research must be done to confirm a relationship between CHD and lipids.
Body Mass Index
The body mass index (BMI) is a useful measurement that displays body fat of a person. It is calculated by dividing the weight in kilograms by the square of height in meters (Kognity). A high BMI could indicate high body fatness, but this does not diagnose the individual’s health. An alternative measurement uses a nomogram. In a nomogram, an individual’s BMI is the point where a line connecting the weight and height of a person intersects the W/H^2 line.
BMI value can classify an individual into one of the six categories: underweight (BMI < 18.5), normal weight (18.5≤BMI<24.9), overweight (25.0≤BMI<29.9), obese class I (30.0≤BMI<34.9), obese class II (35.0≤BMI<39.9), and obese class III (40.0≤BMI).
Works Cited
Allott, Andrew, and David Mindorff. Biology: Oxford IB Diploma Programme. Oxford University Press, 2014.
The Science Herald 
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