‘Healthy’ fats, obesity and measuring unsaturation | 16-18 years

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Measure the level of ‘saturation’ of fats and oils using iodine, exploring the relation to obesity, with this lesson plan and experiment for 16–18 year olds.

In this activity, students discuss which fats and oils are ‘healthy’, undertaking a class experiment that uses the addition of iodine across C=C double bonds to test saturation. Students then review case studies of obese people in connection with diet pills to decide who could be prescribed the medication orlistat or Xenical.

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