| Nutrition, and disorders such as obesity, diabetes, and cancer, all require an understanding of thermodynamics. Obesity, for example is a disorder in which there is an imbalance between energy expenditure and intake. It is therefore important that the energy content of foods be known; the commonly accepted energy values for the four major food categories are shown in Table 8.1; alcohol is included, because it is a significant dietary component for some people. These values are obtained by completely burning (oxidizing) samples of each food. Biologically, about 40% of food energy is conserved as ATP, and the remaining 60% is liberated as heat.
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