A calorie is a unit of measurement for the amount of energy found in food. The healthy amount of calories a person should consume daily depends on a variety of factors including age, gender, size, and activity level.
Minimum Calories Needed
People who want to lose weight should eat 500 fewer calories than the body needs each day while maintaining or increasing exercise activity. Creating an energy deficit triggers the body to burn off excess fat. However, a person should not eat less than 1200 calories per day unless recommended as part of a medically supervised weight loss program.
Estimated Energy Requirements
Men and women have different Estimated Energy Requirements based on body mass index, a calculation made from a person's height, weight.and activity level. Among 30-year-olds measuring 65 inches, or 5'5" in height, an active man needs between 2,490 and 2,842 calories while an active woman of the same stature needs between 2,267 and 2,477 calories.
Special Considerations
Children have their own daily caloric requirements. Because of their rapidly developing bodies, growing children have higher energy needs relative to their weight. A family doctor or pediatrician should be seen to discuss the energy needs and growth of a child.
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