Balancing the amount of calories you consume against those you burn helps you maintain your weight. You burn calories by simply existing, by performing exercise and other activity, and by digesting food explains MayoClinic.com. The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommended calorie intake guidelines vary according to age and gender; the actual amount you need daily also depends on your size and activity level.
Children
Children ages two to three years old who are sedentary need just 1,000 calories per day. Those who are active should take in between 1,000 and 1,400 calories. When girls are between four and eight years old, they should take in 1,200 calories if sedentary and between 1,400 and 1,600 calories if active. Boys at this age require slightly more calories, as they tend to be bigger. Sedentary males ages four to eight should consume 1,400 calories. Those who are moderately active should eat between 1,400 and 1,600 calories, and those who are very active should eat 1,600 to 1,800 calories. For the USDA guidelines, "sedentary" is defined as simply performing the activities associated with daily life, "moderately active" is equivalent to walking about 1.5 to 3 miles per day at a brisk 3 to 4 mph as well as daily living activities, and "very active" means walking more than the 3 miles at a brisk pace as well as regular daily living activity, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute. It may be harder to determine the exact activity level of young children, but you can get an idea by comparing them to others of the same age.
Preteens
According to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, girls ages 9 to 13 need 1,600 calories if sedentary and between 1,600 and 2,000 calories if moderately active. Those who are very active, such as athletes, should consume the higher end of this range. Boys in this age group need about 1,800 calories if sedentary, 1,800 to 2,200 calories if moderately active and 2,000 to 2,600 calories if very active.
Teenagers
Teenagers tend to need even more calories as they grow. Females ages 14 to 18 need about 2,000 calories if moderately active. Those who are very active need more like 2,400 calories, and those who are sedentary need only 1,800 calories. Male teens need more calories: 2,200 if sedentary, 2,400 to 2,800 if moderately active and 2,800 to 3,200 if very active.
Adult Women
After adolescence, as men and women age, they tend to need fewer calories. Women ages 19 to 30 should consume 2,000 calories if sedentary, 2,000 to 2,200 calories if moderately active and 2,400 calories if very active. Those aged 31 to 50 need just 1,800 calories if sedentary, 2,000 if moderately active and 2,200 if very active. After age 51, 1,600 calories is adequate for sedentary women, 1,800 calories for moderately active women and 2,000 to 2,200 for very active women.
Adult Men
Men ages 19 to 30 need about 2,400 calories daily even if sedentary. Moderate activity brings their calorie needs up to 2,600 to 2,800 per day. Very active young men need about 3,000 calories per day. Men aged 31 to 50 need about 2,200 calories if sedentary, 2,400 to 2,600 if moderately active and 2,800 to 3,000 if very active. When men pass age 51, 2,000 calories is the recommended amount for a sedentary lifestyle, 2,200 to 2,400 for those who are moderately active and 2,400 to 2,800 for those who are very active.
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