Calories are units of measurement that we commonly use to describe the types and quantities of food we eat. We need food calories to keep our bodies running, but excessive calorie intake can lead to obesity and other significant health problems. For children, recommended calorie intakes vary with factors that include age, gender and level of physical activity.
Understanding Calories
The word calorie is actually a general scientific term that describes the energy content of any type of substance, according to Discovery Health. When translated to food terms, the word describes the amount of energy our bodies get from eating various things. Different types of food we eat contain different calorie amounts. For instance, one gram of protein or carbohydrates has four calories, while a single gram of fat has nine calories. High-calorie foods generally give our bodies more energy than low-calorie foods.
Basic Recommendations
By age one, male and female children need about 900 calories a day to survive and thrive, according to the American Heart Association, or AHA. Male and female children age two or three need about 1,000 daily calories. If you have a daughter between the ages of four and eight, she will need about 1,200 calories a day. Boys in this same age group need about 1,400 calories a day. If you have a daughter between the ages of 9 and 13, she will need about 1,600 daily calories, while boys of this age need about 1,800 calories. If you have a daughter between the ages of 14 and 18, she will need about 1,800 calories per day. Boys this age need about 2,200 daily calories.
Fat Intake
In one-year-old children, fat should account for about 30 to 40 percent of total calorie intake, the AHA explains. Your child between the ages of two and three should only get about 30 to 35 percent of his calories from fat. Children between the ages of four and eight should only get about 25 to 35 percent of their calories from fat. To help ensure proper health, get the majority of fats in your child's diet from foods that contain monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Examples of these foods include vegetable oils, fish and nuts.
Physical Activity
Baseline calorie requirements apply to relatively inactive children, the AHA notes. If your child is moderately active, you may add as many as 200 extra calories to his daily intake. Highly physically active children may require as many as 200 to 400 additional daily calories. Typically, children need at least one hour of physical activity a day. If your child does not exercise regularly, or eats more calories than necessary, he may become overweight or obese, the University of Michigan Health System reports.
Considerations
Children have fluctuating food intakes, but they can typically self-regulate their calorie needs, the AHA reports. This means you do not need to force your child to eat. Additionally, don't provide your child with unhealthy foods just to meet a calorie intake recommendation. Infants typically get adequate nutrition from breastfeeding.
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