Adult men require a greater number of calories than adult women. This is due to the higher metabolism and increased amounts of lean muscle mass in men. Although the ideal number of calories may vary from person to person, the average calorie consumption of adult men in the United States is 2,475 calories per day, according to a 2000 survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
18 to 30 Years Old
Males in their late teens and throughout their 20s are at the peak of their daily caloric needs, according to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans developed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA. At 18 years old, these guidelines suggest between 2,400 and 2,800 calories per day based on your daily physical activity level. Sedentary males would consume fewer calories than moderately active individuals. This recommendation remains consistent until about age 30 where the recommendation for moderately active males is reduced to 2,600 calories per day.
30 to 50 Years Old
The USDA recommendation for adults between the ages of 30 and 45 years of age holds steady at 2,600 calories per day for moderately active men. Sedentary men of the same age need slightly less at 2,200 to 2,400 calories. Between the ages of 45 and 50, the recommendation drops to 2,200 to 2,400 for sedentary and moderately active men, respectively. These recommendations are at or slightly below the CDC's survey, which states men in this age group averaged more than 2,500 calories per day.
Over 50 Years Old
Males over the age of 50 require progressively fewer calories as they age. At age 50, the USDA recommendation is 2,200 calories for sedentary men and 2,400 calories per day for moderately active men who exercise most days of the week. Between the ages of 60 and 70 years old, the recommendation decreases to 2,000 and 2,200 calories per day, respectively. According to the CDC's findings, men between the ages of 50 and 59 consume more than 2,500 calories per day on average -- far higher than recommended.
Athletes
If you're physically active every day, play an active sport or take part in any type of high-intensity training, your body will have additional caloric needs. The USDA suggests that very physically active males between the ages of 16 and 18 consume about 3,200 calories per day on average. The recommendation progressively decreases with age. For instance, athletes between 21 and 35 years old need about 3,000 calories each day, while very physically active men over the age of 50 need 2,400 to 2,800 calories per day. In some cases, athletes require an even greater number of calories; speak to your doctor to be sure you're meeting your nutritional needs.
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