The unit of heat is Kilocalorie, which refers to the energy required to raise the temperature of one kilogram (one liter) of water by one degree Celsius.
How many calories each person needs every day varies from person to person and is related to age, gender, nature of work and amount of activity.
Refer to the average daily caloric requirements per person (kcal)
| Male (kcal) | |||
| Physical activity level | Light | medium | High |
| 6 years old | 1400 | 1600 | 1800 |
| 7 years old | 1500 | 1700 | 1900 |
| 8 years old | 1650 | 1850 | 2100 |
| 9 years old | 1750 | 2000 | 2250 |
| 10 years old | 1800 | 2050 | 2300 |
| 11 years old | 2050 | 2350 | 2600 |
| 14 years old | 2500 | 2850 | 3200 |
| 18 years or above | 2250 | 2600 | 3000 |
| 50 years old or above | 2100 | 2450 | 2800 |
| 65 years or above | 2050 | 2350 | |
| 80 years old or above | 1900 | 2200 | |
| Female (kcal) | |||
| Physical activity level | Light | medium | High |
| 6 years old | 1250 | 1450 | 1650 |
| 7 years old | 1350 | 1550 | 1750 |
| 8 years old | 1450 | 1700 | 1900 |
| 9 years old | 1550 | 1800 | 2000 |
| 10 years old | 1650 | 1900 | 2150 |
| 11 years old | 1800 | 2050 | 2300 |
| 14 years old | 2000 | 2300 | 2550 |
| 18 years or above | 1800 | 2100 | 2400 |
| 50 years old or above | 1750 | 2050 | 2350 |
| 65 years or above | 1700 | 1950 | |
| 80 years old or above | 1500 | 1750 | |
| Pregnant women: |
| Early pregnancy + 0 kcal |
| Second trimester + 300 kcal |
| Late pregnancy + 450 kcal |
| Lactation period + 500 kcal |
Developing children, teenagers, and pregnant or lactating women require more calories per kilogram of body weight; while adults require fewer calories as they grow older. On the other hand, the daily caloric requirement also varies according to the temperature and personal activity level. On cold days, the daily caloric requirement will increase, and people with high activity and workload also need more calories.
If the daily caloric intake is lower than the daily caloric consumption, it will hinder the growth of the body and cause weight loss; conversely, if the caloric supply exceeds daily consumption, such as less exercise or eating too much, it will cause obesity. Therefore, it is very important to maintain appropriate heat consumption and supply.
People with little activity should not eat more high-calorie foods, such as fried foods, candies, desserts, etc., to avoid obesity. However, developing adolescents, people with high activity levels, and women during pregnancy and lactation should pay attention to a balanced diet and adequate caloric intake. Food can be divided into five major categories:
(1) Cereals
(2) Meat, fish, eggs and substitutes
(3) Vegetables
(4) Fruits and
(5) Milk and substitutes
Every day’s food must include these five categories of food. At the same time, since each type of food provides different calories, pay attention to the portion size to maintain a proper weight balance.
