Given the relatively modest number of calories burned by anything but the most vigorous activities, why can people consume over 2,000 kilocalories a day, yet maintain a healthy body weight? view available hint(s) given the relatively modest number of calories burned by anything but the most vigorous activities, why can people consume over 2,000 kilocalories a day, yet maintain a healthy body weight? people really should exercise vigorously for one to two hours per day. they can't, and this has led to a problem of obesity in the united states. most of the energy consumed in food is spent maintaining the body's functions, so only a fraction of food energy needs to be burned in exercise. not all calories are created equal, so a person who consumes 2,000 kilocalories of sugar- and fat-laden processed food will gain weight, whereas a person who consumes 2,000 calories of nonprocessed, low-carbohydrate food will not.