Daily Caloric Needs by Age, Weight, and Height – Men and Women

Men – Daily Caloric Requirements (Calories/Day)

Age Group	Weight Range	Height Range	Sedentary	Moderately Active	Active
19-30 years	50-70 kg (110-154 lbs)	160-180 cm (5’3″-5’11”)	2,200-2,400	2,400-2,600	2,600-2,800
	71-90 kg (155-198 lbs)	160-180 cm	2,400-2,600	2,600-2,800	2,800-3,000
	71-90 kg	181-195 cm (5’11”-6’5″)	2,500-2,700	2,700-2,900	2,900-3,200
31-50 years	50-70 kg	160-180 cm	2,000-2,200	2,200-2,400	2,400-2,600
	71-90 kg	160-180 cm	2,200-2,400	2,400-2,600	2,600-2,800
	71-90 kg	181-195 cm	2,300-2,500	2,500-2,700	2,700-3,000
51-70 years	50-70 kg	160-180 cm	1,800-2,000	2,000-2,200	2,200-2,400
	71-90 kg	160-180 cm	2,000-2,200	2,200-2,400	2,400-2,600
	71-90 kg	181-195 cm	2,100-2,300	2,300-2,500	2,500-2,800
70+ years	50-70 kg	160-180 cm	1,600-1,800	1,800-2,000	2,000-2,200
	71-90 kg	160-180 cm	1,800-2,000	2,000-2,200	2,200-2,400

Women – Daily Caloric Requirements (Calories/Day)

Age Group	Weight Range	Height Range	Sedentary	Moderately Active	Active
19-30 years	45-60 kg (99-132 lbs)	150-170 cm (4’11”-5’7″)	1,800-2,000	2,000-2,200	2,200-2,400
	61-75 kg (133-165 lbs)	150-170 cm	2,000-2,200	2,200-2,400	2,400-2,600
	61-75 kg	171-180 cm (5’7″-5’11”)	2,100-2,300	2,300-2,500	2,500-2,700
31-50 years	45-60 kg	150-170 cm	1,600-1,800	1,800-2,000	2,000-2,200
	61-75 kg	150-170 cm	1,800-2,000	2,000-2,200	2,200-2,400
	61-75 kg	171-180 cm	1,900-2,100	2,100-2,300	2,300-2,500
51-70 years	45-60 kg	150-170 cm	1,400-1,600	1,600-1,800	1,800-2,000
	61-75 kg	150-170 cm	1,600-1,800	1,800-2,000	2,000-2,200
	61-75 kg	171-180 cm	1,700-1,900	1,900-2,100	2,100-2,300
70+ years	45-60 kg	150-170 cm	1,200-1,400	1,400-1,600	1,600-1,800
	61-75 kg	150-170 cm	1,400-1,600	1,600-1,800	1,800-2,000

Activity Levels

• Sedentary: Mostly sitting (desk job, little or no exercise).
• Moderately Active: Light workouts 1–3 times per week, or daily walking of about 1.5–3 miles.
• Active: Regular workouts 3–5 times per week, or walking more than 3 miles daily.

Special Consideration

• Pregnancy: Expecting mothers need an extra 300–500 calories/day in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.
• Breastfeeding: Nursing moms need an additional 450–500 calories/day to support milk production.
• Athletes & Highly Active People:
  • Training athletes may need 3,000–5,000+ calories daily depending on intensity.
  • Endurance athletes (like marathoners, cyclists) can even need 6,000–8,000 calories during peak training.

Key Research Insight

1. Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) – Considered the gold standard (Institute of Medicine, 2005). These recommendations are based on advanced studies and account for natural metabolic slowdown (about 2–3% per decade after age 30).
2. Calorie Equations: Mifflin-St Jeor (1990) –
   • Men: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) – 5 × age + 5
   • Women: BMR = 10 × weight(kg) + 6.25 × height(cm) – 5 × age – 161
3. WHO/FAO Guidelines (2001) – Provide global standards using Physical Activity Level (PAL) multipliers, ranging from 1.4 (sedentary) to 2.4 (very active).

Recent Research (2010–2024)

• People’s metabolism can vary by as much as ±20% from predictions.
• Muscle mass is a stronger predictor of calorie needs than just body weight.
• With age, BMR drops 1–2% per decade — not only due to muscle loss but also because of changes in how our body uses energy.

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