As we grow older, the nutrients and calories our bodies need changes. Calorie requirements for people over the age of 51 generally decrease compared to younger people, but there are differences based on the person's sex, age and activity level. Talk to a physician or health care provider if you need help determining your dietary needs or caloric requirements.
Getting Older
The average, moderately active male between the ages of 31 and 50 needs between 2,400 and 2,600 calories per day, while a woman of the same age and activity level needs about 2,000 calories per day. Once people reach the age of 51, these needs decrease. The average 51-year-old man of the same activity level needs 2,200 to 2,400 calories per day, while the average woman of the same activity level needs only 1,800 per day.
Sex
In general, senior men need more calories than senior women, though both need fewer calories than younger people. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, the average sedentary male aged 51 or older needs 2,000 calories per day. The average sedentary woman, on the other hand, needs only 1,600 calories per day.
Activity Level
Physically active seniors need more calories than those who are moderately active or sedentary. An active male senior, meaning a person who engages in physical activity the equivalent of walking three mile per day at three to four miles per hour, needs between 2,400 and 2,800 calories per day. A man of the same age who is sedentary, meaning he performs only light physical activity associated with daily life, needs only 2,000 calories per day. Physically active female seniors, on the other hand need, between 2,00 and 2,200 calories per day.
Nutrition
Seniors also have different vitamin, mineral and other nutrient requirements. As people age, their bodies may develop nutritional deficiencies. The Colorado State University Extension reports that many seniors do not get enough calcium and iron in their diets. Further, and especially in those seniors using prescription medications, many have nutritional deficiencies that aren't obvious or easy to detect. Seniors can take dietary supplements to alleviate these deficiencies, but should always talk to their health care provider before deciding to do so.
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