Average Daily Calories

The average daily calories people need will vary from one individual to another. There certainly is no magic number or standard rule on how many calories everybody needs in a given day. You may have wondered about it while doing shopping and reading stuff on the label that says “percent daily values”. The magic number that usually comes up to customers is 2,000 calories. However, this is only a rough average which is approved by the FDA and UK Health Department.

Why Figure Out the Average Daily Calories?

There are different reasons why people would want to know their daily calorie needs. The most popular drive out there is to lose weight in order to get into a healthy weight range. Some people on the other hand calculate the number of calories in order to maintain their weight. Others, of course, calculate it in order to gain weight, in case they are underweight.

1,500 – 2,000 – What Number?

People often make use of the labels on food containers when checking out how many calories they can consume with the stuff they buy from the grocery store. This is a good habit to develop especially when you’re minding your own weight. However, there are different recommendations from different health authorities on this number.

For example, the UK Health Department gives the estimated average calorie intake for women should be about 1,940 calories per day. On the other hand, the US FDA has a broader spectrum when making its recommendation between 1,500 calories up to 2,000 calories per day. The difference is in the studies both institutions have made and what presumptions they have made. These average daily calories are good starting points that you can use.

Making Adjustments

The 2,000 calories a day average can change depending on different factors that can affect your caloric needs. An individual’s age, weight, gender, activity level, and height play a role in the said adjustments. Each of these factors will be used in figuring out the average number of calories you will need every single day. You can use calorie counters or calorie calculators to figure this out or you may also have your doctor help you.

Three Main Factors

Among all the factors that can affect the amount of average daily calories one needs there are three that will be checked by your health care provider. These are your basal metabolic rate or BMR, the amount of physical activity you engage in, and the thermic effect of the food you consume. All of these will require special attention when figuring out a healthy weight loss plan and the amount of calories you will need to shed on a regular basis.