Recommended Caloric Intake For Pre-teens

Your daily caloric requirements are determined by several individual and lifestyle factors, including age, sex, body composition and daily activity level. Pre-teens often have higher caloric needs due to higher levels of physical activity and a higher basal metabolic rate due to growth. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides estimated caloric requirements for pre-teens based on activity level; the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine maintains specific caloric ranges for the three macronutrients: carbohydrates, protein and fat.

Sedentary

Sedentary pre-teens generally do not expend as many calories during the day through physical activity and, therefore, do not need to replace as many through their diets. The USDA defines sedentary as physical activity limited strictly to day-to-day life activities and no additional exercise. Sedentary female pre-teens generally require about 1,400 to 1,600 calories a day while sedentary male pre-teens need 1,600 to 2,000.

Moderately Active

The USDA considers a moderately active lifestyle as one that includes typical daily activities with additional exercise that is the equivalent of walking 1.5 to 3 miles a day at 3 to 4 miles per hour. Any pre-teen who obtains at least some exercise each day is probably considered moderately active. Moderately active female pre-teens generally need 1,600 to 2,000 calories a day, while moderately active male pre-teens require 1,800 to 2,200 calories.

Active

An active lifestyle, according to the USDA, is one that includes all the activity associated with a sedentary and moderately active lifestyle, with the addition of walking an extra 1.5 miles a day at 3 to 4 miles per hour. Any pre-teen who plays an organized sport or obtains at least 30 minutes of daily exercise is considered active. Active female pre-teens need about 1,800 to 2,200 calories a day, while active male pre-teens require 2,000 to 2,600 calories.

Macronutrient Calories

Regardless of physical activity level, pre-teens need a balanced diet including all three macronutrients. The IOM provides acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges, or AMDR for short, for each of these nutrients. The AMDR for carbohydrates for pre-teens is 45 to 65 percent of total caloric intake; the AMDR for fat is 25 to 35 percent of total caloric intake; and protein should account for 10 to 35 percent of the typical pre-teen's diet. Pre-teens should also consume about 5 to 10 percent and 0.6 to 1.2 percent of their calories from omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids, respectively. Pre-teens should limit their sugar intake to 25 percent of their total calories at most. Male and female pre-teens should also strive to consume at least 120 and 100 calories from fiber, respectively.

Calculating Caloric Requirements

While the USDA provides guidelines that reflect the caloric needs of the general population, the most accurate way to determine your exact caloric needs is to enter personal information into an online calorie calculator. The calculator will take into account multiple lifestyle and individual factors to determine your basal metabolic rate, or the number of calories your body requires to perform its basic vital functions. Your basal metabolic rate will then be combined with your typical activity level to compute your exact daily caloric needs.