If a diabetic patient reduces calorie intake from 2300 to 1800 kcals/day, how much weight will he likely lose in one month?

To determine how much weight a diabetic patient might lose by reducing calorie intake from 2300 to 1800 calories per day, it's essential to understand the concept of caloric deficit and its relationship to weight loss.

When a person consumes fewer calories than their body requires for maintenance, they create a caloric deficit. A common estimate is that a deficit of approximately 3500 calories results in a weight loss of about 1 pound. In this scenario, the patient reduces calorie intake by 500 calories per day (from 2300 to 1800).

To calculate the monthly weight loss from this daily deficit, you can multiply the daily deficit by the number of days in the month:

500 calories/day x 30 days = 15,000 calories/month

Now, by dividing the total caloric deficit by the estimated calories per pound of fat:

15,000 calories/month ÷ 3500 calories/pound = 4.29 pounds

This calculation indicates that the patient could lose approximately 4 pounds in a month. Rounding this number aligns the closest with the answer choice of 4 lbs, confirming that this choice is the most accurate reflection of the expected weight loss from the described caloric reduction.

Understanding this principle of