Fat is an essential nutrient the human body requires for energy, vitamin absorption, growth, development and maintenance of healthy skin and hair. However, fat consumed in excess can lead to health problems like high cholesterol, obesity and heart disease, especially when consumed with refined carbohydrates. Recommendations for dietary fat vary, depending on which type of fat you're consuming and by age.
Types
Unsaturated fats included poly- and monounsaturated fats, and are considered the "good" fats because they can help lower cholesterol levels when used in place of saturated fat, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Saturated and trans fats are considered "bad" fats because they have been linked with elevated blood cholesterol levels, especially LDL or bad cholesterol, and an increased risk for heart disease. The type of fat in a food is listed on the ingredient label.
Calories per Gram
Fat is a nutrient that provides nine calories per gram. Carbohydrates and protein both provide four calories per gram. When calculating the grams of fat allowed in your diet, divide the total number of fat calories allowed in your diet by nine.
Children
Children require more dietary fat than adults, since they are growing and developing. According to the "Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010," fat recommendations for children ages 1 to 3 are 30 to 40 percent of total daily calories. Children ages 4 to 18 require a diet consisting of 25 to 35 percent of calories from fat. Recommendations for children of all ages are to limit saturated fat to less than 10 percent of total daily calories and trans fat to as little as possible.
Adults
The dietary guidelines for adults encourage diets consisting of 20 to 35 percent of total daily calories from fat, with less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat and as little as possible from trans fats. For example, when following a 2,000-calorie diet, total fat intake would range between 44 and 78 grams per day and saturated fat intake should be below 22 grams per day.
Special Diets
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services provides eating plans to help people with certain health conditions. The Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, or DASH, eating plan has been shown to help lower blood pressure and the Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes, or TLC, diet can help lower blood cholesterol levels. The DASH eating plan uses diets consisting of 27 percent of total calories from fat and 6 percent of calories from saturated fat. The TLC diet encourages 25 to 35 percent of total calories from fat and less than 7 percent of daily calories from saturated fat.
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