Determining the Daily Caloric Requirement for a Teenager:

Every person has a recommended daily caloric requirement, or a certain number of calories that should be consumed by that person in one day, and every person's caloric requirement is different because of various factors:

Age, gender, size, and lifestyle (level of activity) that differ between individuals. It is even said that caloric requirements may differ from country to country, for example, the UK is said to have a lower caloric intake standard than the US.

· Age: Teenagers who are more fully developed in ages around 15-18 usually require more calories than younger teens in ages 13-14 who still may only need a fairly childlike diet rather than an adult like diet.

· Gender: Males generally require a greater number of calories than females, as they tend to be larger and also (usually) have faster metabolisms.

· Size: A larger person commonly requires more calories than a smaller person because a person's organs must work harder to support a larger body and its systems.

· Lifestyle: A more active individual requires additional calories as compared to a less active individual simply in order to support his or her level of exercise.

So what are the basic numbers of recommended daily caloric requirements for teenagers? Here is a chart from a study done by the National Institute of Medicine: *

Gender	Age (Years)	Sedentary**	Moderately Active	Active
Female	9 - 14 15 - 18	1,600 1,800	1,600 - 2,000 2,000	1,800 - 2,200 2,400
Male	9 - 14 15 - 18	1,800 2,200	1,800 - 2,200 2,400 - 2,800	2,000 - 2,600 2,800 - 3,200

*All calculations were made based off the median height and weight for each age (your size could be different so be sure to factor that in)

**Sedentary meaning a way of life characterized by much sitting and little physical exercise

To further help you in determining your own personal recommended daily caloric requirement, visit this daily caloric calculator. We feel that this calculator by Nutrition Data is particularly useful as it includes recommended amounts of vitamins and minerals as well as macronutrient distribution. However, note that as a whole, caloric calculators are not always accurate because your level of activity varies from day to day, meaning that your lifestyle varies as well. A calculator is just a tool to help you form a general idea of how many calories you should be consuming daily.

http://www.exercise4weightloss.com/teen-calorie-intake.html

http://www.weight-loss-center.net/calorie-needs-teens.htm

http://nutritiondata.self.com/tools/calories-burned