1/17/2018 Appendix 2. Estimated Calorie Needs per Day, by Age, Sex, and Physical Activity Level - 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines - health.gov
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Appendix 2. Estimated Calorie Needs per
Day, by Age, Sex, and Physical Activity
Level
The total number of calories a person needs each day varies depending on a number of factors,
including the person’s age, sex, height, weight, and level of physical activity. In addition, a need to lose,
maintain, or gain weight and other factors affect how many calories should be consumed. Estimated
amounts of calories needed to maintain calorie balance for various age and sex groups at three different
levels of physical activity are provided in Table A2-1. These estimates are based on the Estimated Energy
Requirements (EER) equations, using reference heights (average) and reference weights (healthy) for
each age-sex group. For children and adolescents, reference height and weight vary. For adults, the
reference man is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 154 pounds. The reference woman is 5 feet 4 inches
tall and weighs 126 pounds.
Estimates range from 1,600 to 2,400 calories per day for adult women and 2,000 to 3,000 calories per
day for adult men. Within each age and sex category, the low end of the range is for sedentary
individuals; the high end of the range is for active individuals. Due to reductions in basal metabolic rate
that occur with aging, calorie needs generally decrease for adults as they age. Estimated needs for
young children range from 1,000 to 2,000 calories per day, and the range for older children and
adolescents varies substantially from 1,400 to 3,200 calories per day, with boys generally having higher
calorie needs than girls. These are only estimates, and approximations of individual calorie needs can be
aided with online tools such as those available at www.supertracker.usda.gov
(https://www.supertracker.usda.gov/).
Table A2-1.
Estimated Calorie Needs per Day, by Age, Sex, and
Physical Activity Level
Previous Column
Next Column
Previous Column
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2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines
1/17/2018 Appendix 2. Estimated Calorie Needs per Day, by Age, Sex, and Physical Activity Level - 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines - health.gov
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MALES
AGE Sedentary
Moderately
active Active
2 1,000 1,000 1,000
3 1,000 1,400 1,400
4 1,200 1,400 1,600
5 1,200 1,400 1,600
6 1,400 1,600 1,800
7 1,400 1,600 1,800
8 1,400 1,600 2,000
9 1,600 1,800 2,000
10 1,600 1,800 2,200
11 1,800 2,000 2,200
12 1,800 2,200 2,400
13 2,000 2,200 2,600
14 2,000 2,400 2,800
15 2,200 2,600 3,000
16 2,400 2,800 3,200
17 2,400 2,800 3,200
18 2,400 2,800 3,200
19-20 2,600 2,800 3,000
21-25 2,400 2,800 3,000
[a] [b] [c]
FEMALES
AGE Sedentary
Moderately
active Active
2 1,000 1,000 1,000
3 1,000 1,200 1,400
4 1,200 1,400 1,400
5 1,200 1,400 1,600
6 1,200 1,400 1,600
7 1,200 1,600 1,800
8 1,400 1,600 1,800
9 1,400 1,600 1,800
10 1,400 1,800 2,000
11 1,600 1,800 2,000
12 1,600 2,000 2,200
13 1,600 2,000 2,200
14 1,800 2,000 2,400
15 1,800 2,000 2,400
16 1,800 2,000 2,400
17 1,800 2,000 2,400
18 1,800 2,000 2,400
19-20 2,000 2,200 2,400
21-25 2,000 2,200 2,400
[d]
[a] [b] [c]
1/17/2018 Appendix 2. Estimated Calorie Needs per Day, by Age, Sex, and Physical Activity Level - 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines - health.gov
https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/appendix-2/ 3/4
Notes
[a] Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes only the physical activity of independent living.
[b] Moderately Active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking about 1.5 to 3
miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the activities of independent living.
[c] Active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per
day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the activities of independent living.
[d] Estimates for females do not include women who are pregnant or breastfeeding.
AGE Sedentary
Moderately
active Active
26-30 2,400 2,600 3,000
31-35 2,400 2,600 3,000
36-40 2,400 2,600 2,800
41-45 2,200 2,600 2,800
46-50 2,200 2,400 2,800
51-55 2,200 2,400 2,800
56-60 2,200 2,400 2,600
61-65 2,000 2,400 2,600
66-70 2,000 2,200 2,600
71-75 2,000 2,200 2,600
76and up 2,000 2,200 2,400
AGE Sedentary
Moderately
active Active
26-30 1,800 2,000 2,400
31-35 1,800 2,000 2,200
36-40 1,800 2,000 2,200
41-45 1,800 2,000 2,200
46-50 1,800 2,000 2,200
51-55 1,600 1,800 2,200
56-60 1,600 1,800 2,200
61-65 1,600 1,800 2,000
66-70 1,600 1,800 2,000
71-75 1,600 1,800 2,000
76and up 1,600 1,800 2,000
1/17/2018 Appendix 2. Estimated Calorie Needs per Day, by Age, Sex, and Physical Activity Level - 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines - health.gov
https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines/appendix-2/ 4/4
Source: Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids,
Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. Washington (DC): The National Academies Press; 2002.