Daily calorie intake. Daily diet: eat for health benefits. What determines the caloric content of the diet?

Nutritional calorie content is an indicator of the amount daily consumption food necessary to ensure the functioning of the body, perform all necessary biochemical and physiological processes, maintain body temperature, function of various systems and organs, as well as to conduct various human activities.

The caloric intake required to maintain all of the above processes in the body directly depends on the body weight, height, age and gender of the person. For example, for women its indicator is 15% lower than for men, however, during pregnancy, the caloric intake of women should increase by 15-25% of the usual norm.

The physiological energy requirement for adults ranges from 2000 kcal to 4100 kcal per day for men, and from 1700 kcal to 3000 kcal per day for women. For children under one year of age, the physiological need for energy is 100-115 kcal per 1 kg of body weight per day, and for children aged from one year to 18 years - from 1100 kcal to 2800 kcal per day, with an increase in calorie intake during adolescence.

Also, a person’s calorie intake can be affected by a change of place of residence, which is accompanied by a change in climate, for example, from subtropical to moderately cold, which will naturally increase the body’s energy expenditure to adapt to such a cold climate, and the amount of calories consumed will have to increase by about 15% .

Breakfast calories

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, as it provides the body with energy for the whole day. Calorie content of breakfast for an adult, subject to the regime proper nutrition, ranges from 300 to 600 kcal, no more and no less.

Examples of menus with breakfast calories not exceeding 500 kcal are very delicious dishes, are:

Two whole wheat waffles with maple syrup and blueberries;
One serving of spinach and bacon omelet with two pieces of toasted whole grain toast;
One serving of granola and pumpkin parfait;
Bagel, tartlets or bagel made from whole grain flour with homemade processed cheese, herbs and tomatoes;
Two banana peanut butter pancakes;
One serving of homemade yogurt with pieces of berries or fruits;
Salad of fresh vegetables with herbs, sprinkled with olive oil and lemon juice;
Freshly squeezed vegetable and fruit juices.

By one serving we mean the volume of a prepared dish of 200-250 g, only then the calorie content of breakfast will not exceed the specified norm. Such breakfasts not only satisfy hunger well, but also provide the body with fiber, vitamins and macroelements, and are also suitable for those who are watching their weight and allow them to maintain a low level of calorie intake.

Lunch calories

Lunch is the second most important meal for the body after breakfast. It is very important that he is full and not hungry, otherwise there is a chance he will break down and overeat during dinner. The calorie content of lunch should be 35-40% of daily norm calorie intake and vary from 500 to 800 kcal.

Healthy foods for the menu with a calorie content not exceeding 800 kcal per serving are meat, fish, vegetables, fruits, fermented milk products, a variety of soups and broths, mushrooms and legumes. Also during lunch, you can eat a little dessert prepared yourself - this is the only way to be sure that it will consist of healthy and fresh ingredients, and not from saturated trans fats and light carbohydrates, the consumption of which leads to the accumulation of fat and excess weight in the body . Properly prepared dessert for the calorie content of lunch negative influence will not provide, the main thing is not to overdo it with portions. Recipes for delicious and healthy desserts are:

The calorie content of a lunch with such desserts will not increase much, and eating such delicious dishes has a beneficial effect on a person’s health and mood.

Calorie content of dinner

Dinner is an equally important meal along with lunch and breakfast; you should not skip it even for fear of gaining excess weight, because it affects the total calorie intake of a person. It is important to remember that dinner should end 3-4 hours before bedtime, consist of light food, and the calorie content of the food received during its intake should not exceed a quarter of the total calories consumed per day. On average, it varies from 250 to 500 kcal per meal. Ideal products for a menu with a calorie content not exceeding the above norm are stewed or baked vegetables, salads, boiled meat and fish, low-fat kefir and green tea with honey.

Taking into account all the above advice regarding calorie intake, breakfasts, lunches and dinners, it is important not to forget about snacks, ideal foods for which are nuts, fruits and dairy products, as well as consuming at least 1.5 liters of plain or mineral water per day.

The calorie content of food and diet causes fierce debate - what should the diet be, how many calories? Particularly depressing is the tendency of various “weight loss” systems to focus on reducing daily caloric intake.

I often encounter people who consider a 1,200-calorie diet to be the norm, and yet do not lose weight at all. And they have only one way out - to reduce calories further. And these are the strongest restrictions on food and, as a result, breakdowns.

I specifically found tables with dietary and nutritional standards so that you could see how many calories you need per day?

Best regards, Natalia.

Classification of the population by physical activity groups

The population is divided into physical activity groups, where

Group I – people with very low physical activity, mental workers;

Group II – people engaged in light physical labor;

Group III – medium-heavy manual workers;

Group IV - workers of heavy physical labor, and this category also includes athletes, that is, according to modern terminology, people actively involved in fitness.

Group V is intended only for men, it includes workers of very heavy physical labor and professional athletes during training.

Norms of physiological need for energy and nutrients for men

Indicators (per day)
	I (1.4)			II (1.6)			III (1.9)			IV (2.2)			V(2.5)
	Age groups
	18–29 years old	30–39 years old	40–59 years old	18–29 years old	30–39 years old	40–59 years old	18–29 years old	30–39 years old	40–59 years old	18–29 years old	30–39 years old	40–59 years old	18–29 years old	30–39 years old	40–59 years old	Men over 60 years old
	Energy and macronutrients
Energy, kcal	2450	2300	2100	2800	2650	2500	3300	3150	2950	3850	3600	3400	<4200	3950	3750	2300
Proteins, g	72	68	65	80	77	72	94	89	84	108	102	96	117	111	104	68
Fats, g	81	77	70	93	88	83	110	105	98	128	120	113	154	144	137	77
Carbohydrates, g	358	335	303	411	387	366	484	462	432	566	528	499	586	550	524	335

Norms of physiological needs for energy and nutrients for women

Indicators (per day)	Physical activity group (physical activity rate)
	I (1.4)			II (1.6)			III (1.9)			IV (2.2)
	Age groups
	18–29 years old	30–39 years old	40–59 years old	18–29 years old	30–39 years old	40–59 years old	18–29 years old	30–39 years old	40–59 years old	18–29 years old	30–39 years old	40–59 years old	Women over 60 years old
	Energy and macronutrients
Energy, kcal	2000	1900	1800	2200	2150	2100	2600	2550	2500	3050	2950	2850	1975
Proteins, g	61	59	58	66	65	63	76	74	72	87	84	82	61
Fats, g	67	63	60	73	72	70	87	85	83	102	98	95	66
Carbohydrates, g	289	274	257	318	311	305	378	372	366	462	432	417	284

Additional daily calories are provided for pregnant and lactating women

Norms of physiological needs for energy and nutrients for children

*Indicators of energy, proteins, fats and carbohydrates for children 1 year of age are given per 1 kg of body weight. At the same time, protein indicators are standardized for bottle-fed children; protein rationing is not provided for breastfed children.

Average basal metabolic rates

Rospotrebnadzor also establishes average basal metabolic rate (BMR) values. This is the minimum amount of energy required to carry out vital processes, that is, energy expenditure for the performance of all physiological, biochemical processes, for the functioning of the organs and systems of the body in a state of temperature comfort (20 degrees Celsius), complete physical and mental rest, on an empty stomach. These indicators take into account not only gender and age, but also weight.

The most accurate way to determine individual energy and macronutrient needs using Rospotrebnadzor data is by multiplying the BOO by a suitable physical activity coefficient.

Basal metabolic rate (BMR), in kcal

Men					Women
Body weight, kg	18–29 years old	30–39 years old	40–59 years old	Over 60 years old	Body weight, kg	18–29 years old	30–39 years old	40–59 years old	Over 60 years old
50	1450

How many calories does a person need per day? On this page you can calculate your basal metabolic rate (basal metabolic rate) and daily calorie needs to maintain your current weight.

Enter all the necessary data into the calculator and click the “Calculate” button. In the table below you will receive two important, strictly individual parameters of your body.

BX- this is the amount of energy (calories) required to maintain the vital functions of the body in a state of complete rest. This is the energy that you spend even if you don't move at all. If a person begins to move, his energy expenditure, of course, increases in proportion to the amount and intensity of physical effort. It is also known that the higher the muscle mass, the higher the basal metabolic rate, since trained muscles, even at rest, spend a lot of energy (about 50 kcal per day per 1 kg of muscle). Cm. .

How many calories does an average person need per day?

Daily calorie needs is the number of calories from food required to maintain current weight. If you are trying to reduce your weight, try to keep the calorie content of your diet at least 5-10% lower than this figure. If you need to gain weight, try to take in more calories than this figure. Cm. .

Take in as many calories per day as a person of your desired weight would take.

Enter your information here to calculate calorie content

Knowing your basic metabolic rate (BMR), you can intelligently calculate your diet to maintain your weight at the same level. Below is the Harris-Benedict table, which allows you to calculate the calorie content of your daily diet based on the value of your basal metabolic rate and the degree of physical activity.

This table is the basis for this calculator to determine how many calories a person needs per day.

The basal metabolic rate is calculated using a special formula. At the moment, the Muffin-Jeor formula, derived in 1990, is considered the most accurate formula:

P = 9.99 * weight (kg) + 6.25 * height (cm) - 4.92 * age (years) + constant (different for men and women)

Previously, the Harris-Benedict formula was used, which is now 90 years old. As a survey conducted in 2005 showed, due to significant changes in people's lifestyles in the last century, the old formula is 5% less accurate than the modern one.

Thus, the disadvantage of both formulas is that they do not take into account the percentage of muscle in the body, although, as we already know, it is muscle mass that directly affects the metabolic rate. Therefore, the Ketch-McArdle formula, based solely on this indicator, is more correct:

P = 370 + 21.6 * LBM(kg)

where LBM is body mass minus fat. All that remains is to estimate the amount of fat. This can be done (albeit very approximately) using the “YMCA formula”, based on 3 parameters (gender, weight, waist circumference). This formula looks like this.

For men:

Fat_percentage = (4.15 * waist_circumference - 0.082 * weight - 98.42) / weight

For women:

Fat_percentage = (4.15 * waist_circumference - 0.082 * weight - 76.76) / weight

The above calculator automatically calculates the basic metabolic rate, taking into account all the above formulas, and indicates how many calories you need per day at your level of physical activity.

The body needs energy to function. Its source is food - the breakdown of its constituent nutrients produces energy, which we measure in calories. Calorie intake is very important for our life.. If we consume fewer calories than we need, then we will not have enough energy to fully move, work, study, our body will have to find some ways to obtain additional energy (for example, by breaking down fats) or simply slow down the metabolism substances, which will not have the best effect on our well-being. If the calorie content of the food we consume is higher than our energy expenditure, this will inevitably lead to excess weight. It is necessary to control your calorie intake if you are concerned about your figure.

What determines calorie intake?

The source of calories in food is its nutrients - fats, proteins and carbohydrates. The most calories are in fats, 2 times less in proteins and carbohydrates. All these nutrients are very important for our body, and it must receive all of them in certain quantities.

The main fuel of our body is carbohydrates; they are easily processed and saturate us with energy. Proteins take a very long time to digest, and fats take even longer and more difficult. The more fat in a product, the higher the calorie content of this product and the more fat the body will not be able to break down, which means it will simply be sent “to the warehouse” - into adipose tissue. Foods containing a lot of carbohydrates can also lead to obesity - if there are too many carbohydrates, then the body does not consume those that it also converts into fat.

The calorie content of food depends on the content of these nutrients and their ratio. If you have correctly calculated the caloric content of your diet and compiled a diet, then you will definitely not go hungry while losing weight, but if when compiling your diet you did not take into account the content of various nutrients in foods, then you may find that your daily calorie intake is already eaten, but still want to eat. For example, the calorie content of your breakfast should be 400 kcal. You can eat a plate of oatmeal with prunes and a glass of kefir, you can eat an omelet of 4 eggs, toast, a slice of cheese, tea and an apple, or you can eat 1 fried pie with potatoes or half a chocolate bar. What will you eat more of? With the same calorie content, food can fill you up in different ways, be harmful or beneficial for the body and for your figure.

Calorie limits

You may have heard the concept of a “calorie corridor.” This is the name of the gap between the maximum and minimum level of calories that you can consume per day in order to maintain your weight or lose weight.

Exceeding the upper calorie limit puts your figure at risk. Going beyond the lower limit is dangerous to health. If you are losing weight, then the faster you lose weight, the more likely it is that the lost kilograms will return; losing weight by 2-3 kg per month is considered the safest.

To know your caloric intake limits, calculate your daily caloric intake. It is calculated by the formula:

for men: 660+(13.7 x body weight in kg)+(5 x height in cm) – (6.8 x age in years);
for women: 655+(9.6 x body weight in kg)+ (1.8 x height in cm) – (4.7 x age in years).

Then multiply the resulting value by your physical activity coefficient:

low activity, sedentary work: 1.2;
average activity (light physical activity 1-3 times a week): 1.375;
high activity (intense physical activity 3-5 times a week): 1.55;
very high activity (intense physical activity 6-7 times a week): 1.725;
extreme physical activity (intense physical activity twice a day, hard physical work, competitions, etc.): 1.9.

The resulting value is your caloric intake for the day. If you consume it, you will not gain weight or lose weight. For healthy weight loss, reduce this amount by 20%. This gap between the first and second values will be your calorie corridor. Based on it, you can create a menu with calorie intake, using data on the composition and energy value of products on food packages or on the Internet. If you stay within calorie limits, you won't have any problems with your figure.

We create a menu with caloric content of products

You will greatly simplify your calorie counting if you create a menu for yourself every day with the calorie content of foods - this way you will plan to consume a certain number of calories per day and it will be easier for you not to go over the calorie limit.

Please note that the calorie content of breakfast (including second breakfast) should be about 40% of the daily calorie intake. Don't be afraid to gain excess weight - what you consumed at breakfast will be used up during the day, but the high calorie content of breakfast will provide you with energy for the whole day. The calorie content of lunch should be slightly lower, about 30%. It, like breakfast, should be satisfying, but if the main source of breakfast calories should be carbohydrates, then Most of the calories in lunch should come from proteins.. Be sure to have a snack between lunch and dinner - it will help you avoid overeating at dinner and thus reduce the load on your digestive system before bed. But dinner should be as light as possible.

Example of a menu with daily caloric intake

Breakfast: take 50 g of oatmeal, pour boiling water over it, add 25 g of walnuts, a tablespoon of honey and 40 g of prunes, mix and microwave for 3-4 minutes. To finish your breakfast, drink a glass of green tea without sugar.

Breakfast calorie content: 435 kcal.

2 hours before lunch you can have a snack with tea and oatmeal cookies (2 pcs.)

Snack calorie content: 120 kcal.

Lunch: Be sure to have soup for lunch. Consuming a liquid dish will reduce the overall calorie content of lunch - after all, soups are filling and at the same time contain few calories. For example, eat a plate of cabbage soup with meat, a cup (200 g) of bigus, 50 g of boiled beef and a slice of rye bread.

Lunch calories: 440 kcal.

For an afternoon snack, have an apple.

Calorie content of the afternoon snack: 80 kcal.

Dinner: For dinner it is good to eat easily digestible proteins - egg or milk. For example, prepare a cottage cheese-carrot casserole (100 g low-fat cottage cheese, 1 grated carrot, 1 egg).

Calorie content of dinner: 170 kcal.

Before going to bed, you can drink a glass of kefir (95 kcal).

The total calorie intake during the day was 1345 kcal. As you can see, the pre-compiled calorie menu turned out to not be “hungry” at all and at the same time allowed you to eat fewer calories than if you had not planned your daily diet. It is very convenient to create such a menu with calorie content using special applications for smartphones - calorie counters. They automatically count all calories when you enter the names of foods or dishes and their quantities, show you the total calorie intake for the whole day, the nutritional composition of the diet, and keep statistics on weight changes.

If you liked this article, please vote for it:(88 Votes) In 2008, Russia officially established calorie standards for the daily diet, taking into account gender, age and level of physical activity of different population groups.

The concept of rational nutrition, officially adopted in Russia, is reflected in the methodological recommendations of Rospotrebnadzor. This document establishes the physiological needs for energy and macronutrients for men and women (taking into account age and intensity of exercise), as well as for children (taking into account age).

The standards developed by Rospotrebnadzor are drawn up taking into account the fact that the energy value of the diet must correspond to energy consumption, and the amount of proteins, fats and carbohydrates consumed must have a certain ratio.

Where do official calorie standards apply?

The indicators given in the tables are indicative and averaged; they are used primarily for planning in the food industry and agriculture, for organizing catering in government organizations, including medical and health resorts. These norms are used to promote principles among the population healthy eating, they are aimed at practically healthy people.

Classification of the population by physical activity groups

The population is divided into physical activity groups, where group I consists of people with very low physical activity, mental workers; Group II - people engaged in light physical labor; Group III - medium-heavy manual workers; Group IV - workers of heavy physical labor, and this category also includes athletes, that is, according to modern terminology, people actively involved in fitness. Group V is intended only for men, it includes workers of very heavy physical labor and professional athletes during training.

Norms of physiological need for energy and nutrients for men

Indicators (per day)

Age groups

Men over 60 years old

Energy and macronutrients

Energy, kcal

Carbohydrates, g

Norms of physiological needs for energy and nutrients for women

Indicators (per day)

Physical activity group (physical activity rate)

Age groups

Women over 60 years old

Energy and macronutrients

Energy, kcal

Carbohydrates, g

Additional daily calories are provided for pregnant and lactating women

Norms of physiological needs for energy and nutrients for children

Indicators per day*	Age groups
		11-14 years old, boys	11-14 years old, girls	14-18 years old, boys	14-18 years old, girls
Energy, kcal


Carbohydrates, g

*Indicators of energy, proteins, fats and carbohydrates for children 1 year of age are given per 1 kg of body weight. At the same time, protein indicators are standardized for formula-fed children; protein rationing is not provided for breastfed children.

Average basal metabolic rates

The most accurate way to determine individual energy and macronutrient needs using Rospotrebnadzor data is by multiplying the BOO by a suitable physical activity coefficient.

Basal metabolic rate (BMR), in kcal

On the relationship between the average and the individual

The creators of the above standards specifically emphasize that the indicators are of a group nature and take into account precisely the physiological need. The individual need of each person, and even the average level of need, will differ from these indicators in one direction or another. Statistics show that approximately half of the population has an individual need above average, while the other half has a lower one.

Expert: Galina Filippova, general practitioner, candidate of medical sciences

Photos used in this material belong to shutterstock.com