Food Energy - Recommended Daily Intake

Recommended Daily Intake

Recommendations in the United States are 2,700 and 2,100 kcal (11,000 and 8,800 kJ) for men and women (respectively) between 31 and 50, at a physical activity level equivalent to walking about 1.5 to 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour on top of the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life, with French guidance suggesting roughly the same levels.

Children, those with sedentary lifestyles, and older people require less energy; physically active people more. In Australia, because different people require different daily energy intakes there is no single recommended intake instead there being a series of recommendations for each age and gender group although packaged food and fast food outlet menu labels refer to the average Australian daily energy intake of 8700 kJ (2079 kcal).

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the average minimum energy requirement per person per day is about 1,800 kcal (7,500 kJ).

Increased mental activity has been linked with moderately increased brain energy consumption.