The Institute of Medicine of the National Academies sets forth dietary guidelines for daily caloric intake. Calories provide your body with the energy you need to get through the day, but how many calories you should get each day depends on factors such as activity level, age, gender and genetics.
Activity Levels
Active people should consume more calories than people who are sedentary. If you are not very active, consume calories on the lower end of the calorie range. The more physical activity you have in your day, the more calories you burn, so you can consume a higher number of calories.
Caloric Intake For Men
A healthy man between the ages of 19 and 30 should consume anywhere from 2,400 to 3,000 calories a day, according to the Institute of Medicine. After the age of 30 your calorie needs may diminish slightly so the range falls to 2,200 to 3,000 a day. Men over the age of 51 may get 2,000 to 2,800 calories per day.
Caloric Intake For Women
Women require fewer calories than men, based on Institute of Medicine recommendations. Women between the ages of 19 and 30 should aim for 1,800 to 2,400 calories a day depending on activity levels. The calorie range for women between 31 and 50 is 1,800 and 2,200 a day. After the age of 51 women should consume between 1,600 and 2,200 calories.
Teenagers
Getting the right amount of calories each day to support activity and health is imperative for adolescents. Teenage boys between the ages of 14 to 18 should get between 2,000 and 3,000 calories a day. Teenage girls in the same age range should get 1,800 to 2,400 calories per day, according to the Institute of Medicine.
Children
Girls and boys between the ages of 2 and 3 need 1,000 to 1,400 calories a day depending on activity levels. Girls between the ages of 4 and 8 should get 1,200 to 1,800 a day, while boys should get 1,200 to 2,000 per day. Girls ages 9 to 13 should get 1,400 to 2,200 calories a day and boys in that age range should consume 1,600 to 2,600 depending on activity level.
Weight Reduction
The Institute of Medicine's daily recommended caloric intakes are meant for those who are within the average range for their weight and may not apply to if you are trying to gain or lose weight. If you are trying to lose weight you will need to cut about 500 calories from your daily intake to lose a pound a week. If you consume more calories than your age and gender range, stick within your recommended range to lose weight.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Calorie Calculator; April 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Nutrition for Kids: Guidelines For a Heathy Diet; July 2009
- MayoClinic.com; Counting Calories: Get Back to Weight Loss Basics; December 2009
- United States Department of Agriculture; Dietary Guidelines for America Chapter Two
- Institute of Medicine: Dietary Reference Intake Research Synthesis
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