Food: How many calories should an adult eat per day?

Good nutrition and exercise are two of the most important aspects when it comes to losing weight. In this sense, nutritionists recommend making a calorie deficit in food, that is, consuming fewer calories than the body spends.

As explained by Dr. Mishkat Shehata, lifestyle doctor and founder of The Lifestyle Code Clinic, the plan must be personalized as every individual is different and diet can vary based on many factors such as gender, weight, height, amount of physical activity performed and culture, among others. Therefore, it is best to have a follow up with a professional.

Furthermore, it is essential to prioritize the intake of quality products that provide nutrients to the body to have a greater daily performance and also prevent diseases. In this way, the body could lose fat and maintain muscle mass.

How many calories should an adult eat based on his age?

The World Health Organization establishes a generic estimate for adults: between 1,600 and 2,000 calories a day for women, and between 2,000 and 2,500 for men. But to know more precisely the energy needs of each person, two factors must be taken into account: Basal metabolic rate and physical activity.

Basal metabolic rate, according to the US National Library of Medicine, refers to the number of calories expended on physiological functions such as breathing, eating and sleeping. That is, they are the energy needs of the body to carry out the basic functions (continuous renewal of the body structures, blood circulation, breathing, etc.) at rest.

There are several formulas that nutritionists use to accurately calculate the number of calories to consume per day based on weight, such as the Harris-Benedict Formula, Penn State, Mifflin-St. Jeor, Ireton Jones, Faisy, Roza, Butte, among others , although they may vary according to the person.