Why do men and women need different calories per day?

Every person needs different calories per day. Based on the recommendation of the Nutrition Adequacy Rate (RDA) from the Indonesian Ministry of Health, calorie needs for adult women (16-30 years) generally range from 2.125 to 2,250 calories per day. Meanwhile, adult men with the same age range need more, namely 2625-2725 calories per day. The minimum calorie requirements for dieting can differ between men and women. How come?

What are calories?

Before discussing further, it's good to know what calories are. Calories are a unit of measurement for expressing the amount of energy in the food and drinks you consume on a daily basis.

If the food and drinks you consume every day can meet your daily calorie needs, then you are classified as healthy. Conversely, if the food and drinks you consume are below or above your daily calorie needs, your risk of developing disease can increase.

Why do men and women need different calories per day?

Men and women need different calories per day because men generally need more energy to do activities, even though the size and weight of men are the same as women. Why did it happen?

First, men generally have more muscle mass than women. Greater muscle mass automatically requires more energy to function optimally.

Second, most men usually have a taller posture than women. Well, this high body posture also affects the calorie needs of men. So, they need more calories than women.

Not only that, men generally have a larger lung capacity, which allows them to work harder during sports and other physical activities. This makes men need more calories to maintain their strength.

So, how many calories per day for men?

As explained above, the average daily calorie requirement for an adult male is around 2725 calories per day. However, the number of daily calories for men needed by each age group is as follows:

Age 10 - 12 years: 2100 Kcal
Age 13-15 years: 2475 Kcal
Age 16-18 years: 2675 Kcal
Age 19-29 years: 2725 Kcal
Age 30-49 years: 2625 Kcal
Age 50 - 64 years: 2325 Kcal
Age 65 - 80 years: 1900 Kcal
Age 80 and over: 1525 Kcal

So, how many calories per day for women?

The average daily calorie requirement for an adult woman is about 2.125 to 2,250 calories per day. However, the number of women's daily calories needed by each age group is as follows:

Age 10-12 years: 2000 Kcal
Age 13-15 years: 2125 Kcal
Age 16-18 years: 2125 Kcal
Ages 19 - 29 years: 2250 Kcal
Age 30 - 49 years: 2150 Kcal
Age 50 - 64 years: 1900 Kcal
Age 65 - 80 years: 1550 Kcal
Age 80 and over: 1425 Kcal

Everyone's calorie needs are different

The figure above is a reference for calorie needs in general. Basically, each person's daily calorie needs vary based on age, weight, height, and physical activity. So, even two twins will have different calorie needs, depending on their physical condition and daily activities.

Likewise with calorie needs when dieting. In general, everyone who wants to diet must meet their calorie needs of at least 1200-1400 calories per day. This applies to both men and women

To make it easier for you to calculate your daily calorie needs, Hello Sehat has provided it calorie requirement calculator. You can check your daily calorie needs on that page.

Why is it important to pay attention to calorie needs per day?

Knowing how many calories you need per day can help maintain your health because it can affect the balance of energy you use daily.

The principle of meeting your calorie needs is basically simple, that is, balance. The reason is, if you consume more calories than you need, your body will store excess energy as fat. This certainly contributes to weight gain in the future which at the same time increases your risk of contracting various diseases, especially degenerative diseases.

But if you consume less calories than you need, you will lose fat and muscle mass which can lead to weight loss as well as decreased function of the organs in the body because you don't get the intake they should.