Dietary Energy Requirements in Adolescents

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Dietary energy requirements in adolescents

Author: Nancy F Butte, PhD
Section Editor: Kathleen J Motil, MD, PhD
Deputy Editor: Alison G Hoppin, MD
All topics are updated as new evidence becomes available and our peer review process is complete.
Literature review current through: Jun 2020. | This topic last updated: Apr 01, 2019.
INTRODUCTION
Nutritional needs during adolescence are influenced mainly by the onset of puberty with its associated increased growth
rate and changes in body composition and organ systems. After age 11, girls accrue approximately 12 percent of their
adult stature and 36 percent of adult weight, and boys approximately 20 percent of their adult stature and 50 percent of
adult weight [1]. Growth during adolescence is accompanied by an increased proportion of body fat for girls and an
increased proportion of lean body mass and blood volume in boys. (See "Normal puberty".)
The recommended dietary energy requirements in adolescents are defined to maintain health, promote optimal growth
and maturation, and support a desirable level of physical activity. Dietary energy recommendations must be accompanied
by strong encouragement for physical activity compatible with health, prevention of obesity, and adequate social and
psychological development.
The recommended dietary energy requirements in adolescents are reviewed here. Dietary requirements for other
nutrients in adolescents are discussed separately. (See "Dietary history and recommended dietary intake in children" and
"Calcium requirements in adolescents" and "Iron requirements and iron deficiency in adolescents".)
BASAL METABOLISM
Basal metabolism is the energy expended for cellular and tissue processes that maintain life. It is measured under
standard conditions of thermoneutrality, immobility, and fasting. The basal metabolic rate (BMR) relative to weight
increases from birth to two years and then gradually declines through adolescence (figure 1) [2].
The effect of age on BMR is a function of changes in body composition through childhood and adolescence. BMR is
strongly correlated with the fat-free mass that comprises the bulk of the active metabolic tissue. The marked sex
differences in intensity and duration of the adolescent growth spurt and in the proportion of fat-free mass dictate the
energy and nutrient needs of boys and girls. The World Health Organization has endorsed the Schofield equations for the
estimation of BMR that take into account sex, age, and body weight [3,4].
● For males, 10 to 18 years of age:
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BMR (MJ/day) = (0.074 x body weight [kg]) + 2.754
BMR (kcal/day) = (17.69 x body weight [kg]) + 658
● For females, 10 to 18 years of age:
BMR (MJ/day) = (0.056 x body weight [kg]) + 2.898
BMR (kcal/day) = (13.38 x body weight [kg]) + 693
Of note, adding a height factor does not significantly improve the performance of these prediction equations [3,5]. A meta-
analysis reported that age, height, and body weight explained most of the variance in BMR (r2 = 86.4 percent for males
and 83.9 percent for females) [6]. Fat-free mass and body mass index (BMI) did not account for a significant portion of the
variance.
Several studies have evaluated the accuracy of these equations in adolescents, and whether they have universal
application remains unclear. Measured BMR values coincided with predicted values in boys and girls 7 to 16 years of age
in Holland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The equations overestimated BMR of boys in Colombia by 5
percent, teenage girls in China by 9 percent, and black girls in the United States by 8 percent [7,8]. Further studies are
needed to determine whether specific equations are necessary for different populations. Such an equation has been
proposed for obese children [9].
Resting metabolic rate (RMR) is closely related to BMR, and the terms are often used interchangeably. However, BMR is
measured under carefully controlled conditions to ensure that the sympathetic nervous system is not activated, whereas
RMR reflects measurements performed at rest but under less carefully controlled conditions. BMR is measured after a
12- to 14-hour overnight fast, with the subject resting comfortably, supine, awake, and motionless in a thermoneutral
environment. RMR is measured two hours after eating with the subject resting comfortably, supine, awake, and
motionless in a thermoneutral environment. RMR is approximately 10 percent greater than BMR [10].
ENERGY COST OF GROWTH
The energy cost of growth is the energy deposited in newly accrued tissues and the energy expended for tissue
synthesis.
● Energy deposition depends upon the composition of the newly accrued tissues. The energy equivalents for fat and
protein deposition are 0.039 MJ/g (9.25 kcal/g) and 0.024 MJ/g (5.65 kcal/g), respectively.
● Energetic efficiencies of synthesizing fat and protein are approximately 85 and 42 percent, respectively.
● Energy content of newly synthesized tissues varies in childhood, particularly around the adolescent growth spurt,
from 0.01 to 0.03 MJ/g (3 to 7 kcal/g), but these variations have minimal impact on total energy requirements.
The energy cost of growth has been estimated from body composition data of normally growing adolescents. Estimates
have been published for male and female reference adolescents that are based upon total body water, total body
potassium, and total body calcium [11]. These estimates reveal significant differences in the energy cost of growth in
males as compared with females:

● On average, fat-free mass increases dramatically in boys from approximately 28 kg at 10.5 years to 61 kg at 18.5
years, with peak deposition coinciding with peak height velocity. The fat-free mass:height ratio is higher in boys than
in girls [11]. (See "Normal puberty".)
● On average, fat-mass deposition is greater in girls, increasing from approximately 8 kg at 10.5 years to 14 kg at 18.5
years. As a percentage of body weight, fat mass increases from 23.5 to 25 percent in girls and actually declines in
boys from 16 to 13 percent by 18.5 years [11].
● In the Institute of Medicine recommendations for daily energy intake of adolescents [12], the energy costs of growth
for boys and girls were computed from rates of weight gain of children enrolled in the Fels Longitudinal Study [13]
and rates of protein and fat deposition for adolescents [11]. The energy cost of tissue deposition was approximately
20 kcal/d, increasing to 30 kcal/d at peak growth velocity.
PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
In addition to the energy required for basal metabolic processes and growth, energy is needed for physical activity and for
the attainment of physical, intellectual, and social well-being. The energy expenditure of physical activity is expressed as
a multiple of basal metabolic rate (BMR) and is determined by the time spent on an activity and the intensity of effort.
Patterns of activity — Time allocation, along with heart rate monitoring, accelerometry studies, and doubly labeled water
method, provide estimates of time spent by children in activities with different energy costs. The patterns of physical
activities among adolescents vary considerably across communities. Guidelines in the United States recommend that
children and adolescents aged 6 through 17 years should do 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous aerobic
physical activity daily [14], as well as some exercise designed to strengthen muscles and bones. Mounting evidence
indicates that the vast majority of adolescents fall short of these goals [15,16]. In addition, sedentary behaviors, including
watching television and other screen devices, are common among adolescents and are associated with worse
cardiovascular fitness [17,18].
Energy cost of physical activity
Measurement techniques — Habitual physical activity and its impact on the energy needs of adolescents may be
assessed by the doubly labeled water method, heart rate monitoring, and accelerometry.
● The doubly labeled water method is a noninvasive technique that uses the stable isotopes deuterium and oxygen-18
to estimate total energy expenditure [19,20]. It encompasses BMR, thermoregulation, the synthetic cost of growth,
and physical activity. It is accurate but requires sophisticated instrumentation and is expensive.
● Monitoring heart rate, calibrated against indirect calorimetry, can be used to estimate energy expenditure because a
linear relationship exists between heart rate and oxygen consumption during exercise. Monitoring heart rate provides
a noninvasive and inexpensive alternative to calorimetry [21].
● Accelerometers are small, lightweight, portable, noninvasive, nonintrusive devices that record motion in one or more
planes and provide an indication of the frequency, duration, and intensity of physical activity [22,23]. Validity studies
have yielded moderate to strong correlations between accelerometer counts and oxygen consumption, activity
energy expenditure, or metabolic equivalents (METs) in adults and children [24,25]. Accelerometers and heart
monitors have been combined to improve the accuracy and precision with which energy expenditure can be
predicted [26]. In general, the combined accelerometer and heart rate monitor method has better accuracy and
precision than either method alone.
Energy equivalents of physical activity — The energy costs of selected activities as measured in adolescents are
shown in the table as multiples of BMR predicted from Schofield age-, sex-, and mass-specific equations (table 1) [27].
The energy cost estimates of activities previously were derived from adult measurements that may not be valid for
children and adolescents [28]. In addition, energy cost is affected not only by age and size but also level of training, ethnic
background, and the presence or absence of obesity [8,29]. In kinesiology, METs are widely used to express the energy
costs of physical activity as multiples of BMR. By convention, 1 MET is defined as an oxygen uptake of 3.5 mL/kg/min, or
1 kcal/kg/h in adults, a value derived for a 70-kg man aged 40 years [30]. The conventional MET value is not applicable to
children and adolescents [28,31]. Instead, measured or predicted BMR values should be used to appropriately adjust for
individual differences in body size by expressing total energy expenditure as a multiple of BMR.
The Compendium of Physical Activities is a coding scheme developed in adults that classifies specific physical activities
by MET equivalents [32]. In children 8 to 18 years of age, age- and puberty-adjusted METs were estimated and found to
be generally lower than the adult compendium MET values for sedentary and moderate activities but were more varied for
high-intensity activities [33]. A Youth Compendium of Physical Activities describes the energy costs of 196 activities
derived only from oxygen consumption data of children [27]. The Compendium is a valuable resource for those interested
in designing and implementing physical activity programs in youth.
Predictors — The energy cost of physical activity is affected by age, size, level of training, ethnic background, and the
presence or absence of obesity [8,29]:
● Obese individuals have higher energy expenditure than do their lean counterparts in absolute terms. However, obese
individuals typically have similar rates when corrected for body size and body composition [20,34].
● Energy requirements per kilogram of body weight vary indirectly with age and size at any given walking or running
speed [29].
● Training can decrease the energy cost of running.
● One study measured the BMR and energy expenditure of 40 Caucasian and 41 matched African American pubertal
girls [8]. After adjusting for fat-free mass, the basal energy expenditure and energy expended for physical activity
were significantly lower in the African American girls than in the Caucasian girls (1333 versus 1412 kcal/day for basal
energy expenditure and 809 versus 1271 for physical activity). A study in African American and Caucasian children
has shown that the lower rates of energy expenditure are attributable to body composition differences [35]. African
American children had decreased trunk lean mass (metabolically active-at-rest) and increased appendicular lean
mass (metabolically inactive-at-rest).
Estimated daily energy expenditure — Daily energy expenditure is determined by the energy cost for various activities
and the amount of time allocated to those activities. The daily physical activity level (PAL) represents the summation of
these activities, is defined as the ratio of total energy expenditure over BMR, and is expressed as multiples of BMR.
Pooled data from studies that estimated PALs by activity-time allocation in urban and rural areas of industrialized and
developing areas have shown the following findings [7]:
● Mean PALs ranged from 1.45 to 2.06 for children 6 to 18 years engaged in light to heavy levels of physical activity.
● Mean daily energy expenditure ranged from 0.18 MJ/kg to 0.28 MJ/kg (42 to 66 kcal/kg) depending upon sex, age,
and geographical area.
● Daily energy expenditures were higher for boys than for girls and, in both groups, were highest in rural areas of
developing countries and lowest in industrialized countries. They also tended to be higher in children 10 to 14 years

of age than in children 15 to 19 years of age.
TOTAL ENERGY REQUIREMENTS
Marked variability exists in the energy requirements of adolescents because of variable growth rates and physical activity
levels [36]. A systematic review was conducted to examine the effect of puberty on energy expenditure [37]. Puberty was
associated with a 12 percent increase in basal metabolic rate (BMR) or resting metabolic rate (RMR) and an 18 percent
increase in total energy expenditure compared with prepuberty. The higher rates of total energy expenditure were
accounted for largely by the pubertal increase in fat-free mass.
The Institute of Medicine has published estimated energy requirements for children and adolescents, as outlined in the
table (table 2) [12]. The full report is available from the Institute Of Medicine website.
Dietary estimated energy requirements of adolescents have been based on their total energy expenditure and
requirements for growth, taking into account habitual physical activity level (PAL) and lifestyle consistent with the
maintenance of health, optimal growth and maturation, and social and economic demands. Although the
recommendations allow for four categories of PAL (sedentary, low active, active, and very active), the active or very active
levels are encouraged for all healthy children (ie, at least 60 minutes of physical activity on most, preferably all, days of
the week) [38]. PAL levels were defined based on the ratio of total energy expenditure:BMR.
Prediction equations
Normal-weight children — Total energy expenditure was predicted from age, height, and weight based on the stable
isotope method, doubly labeled water, and an average of 25 kcal/d for the energy cost of growth based on rates of weight
gains from the Fels Longitudinal Study and rates of protein and fat deposition for adolescents [12]. Prediction equations
for the estimated energy requirements of children, ages 9 through 18 years, are provided below, where PA represents the
physical activity coefficient to be used in the prediction equation:
● Boys 9 through 18 years:
Estimated energy requirements (kcal/d) = 88.5 - 61.9 x Age [y] + PA x (26.7 x Weight [kg] + 903 x Height [m]) + 25, where:
PA = 1.00 if sedentary (PAL ≥1.0 and <1.4)
PA = 1.13 if low active (PAL ≥1.4 and <1.6)
PA = 1.26 if active (PAL ≥ 1.6 and <1.9)
PA = 1.42 if very active (PAL ≥1.9 and <2.5)
The factor of 25 is included to account for the energy cost of growth.
● Girls 9 through 18 years:
Estimated energy requirements (kcal/d) = 135.3 - 30.8 x Age [y] + PA x (10.0 x Weight [kg] + 934 x Height [m]) + 25, where:
PA = 1.31 if active (PAL ≥1.6 and <1.9)
The factor of 25 is included to account for the energy cost of growth.

Overweight and obesity — The Institute of Medicine report also provides guidance on the energy requirements of
overweight and obese children ages 3 through 18 years. Equations are provided to predict total energy expenditure at the
steady state and equate to the energy needs for weight maintenance. Unlike the estimated energy requirement, there is
no allowance made for growth. To achieve weight loss, a reduction in dietary energy intake and/or an increase in physical
activity can be prescribed using the predicted total energy expenditure as the starting point.
● Boys 3 through 18 years:
Total energy expenditure (kcal/day) = 114 – (50.9 x Age [y]) + PA x (19.5 x Weight [kg] + 1161.4 x Height [m]), where:
● Girls 3 through 18 years:
Total energy expenditure (kcal/day) = 389 – (41.2 x Age [y]) + PA x (15.0 x Weight [kg] + 701.6 x Height [m]), where:
Recommended composition of dietary energy intake — The United States Surgeon General's Report on Nutrition and
Health [39], the United States Department of Agriculture, and United States Department of Health and Human Services
Dietary Guidelines for Americans [40], the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association [41,42]
all recommend reduced consumption of cholesterol, total fat, and (especially) saturated fat and achievement and
maintenance of an appropriate weight for the American population older than two years of age.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2015-2020 stress the need for adequate nutrients within energy needs [40].
"Choose my plate" is a teaching tool that shows how nutritional guidelines and requirements fit into an individual's daily
food choices; it replaces the Food Guide Pyramid. This and other educational resources are available on the United
States Department of Agriculture website (www.choosemyplate.gov). These teaching tools are applicable to special
populations or individuals who practice vegetarianism [43]. Vegetarians can consume adequate protein by selecting
protein sources from the Protein Food Group, which includes eggs (for ovo-vegetarians), beans and peas, nuts, nut
berries, and soy products (tofu, tempeh, veggie burgers). (See "Vegetarian diets for children".)
The following recommendations are made for all Americans, with a few special considerations for adolescents.
● Consume a variety of nutrient-dense foods and beverages within and among the basic food groups, while choosing
foods that limit the intake of saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, added sugars, salt, and alcohol.
● Consume a sufficient amount of fruits and vegetables while staying within energy needs. Two cups of fruit and 2.5
cups of vegetables per day are recommended for a reference 2000-calorie intake, with higher or lower amounts
depending on the calorie level.
● Choose a variety of fruits and vegetables each day. In particular, select from all five vegetable subgroups (dark
green, orange, legumes, starchy vegetables, and other vegetables) several times a week.

● For children and adolescents, consume whole-grain products often; at least one-half of the grains should be whole
grains.
● Children nine years of age and older should consume three cups per day of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent milk
products.
● Consume less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fatty acids and less than 300 mg/day of cholesterol, and
keep trans fatty acid consumption as low as possible.
● When selecting and preparing meat, poultry, dry beans, and milk or milk products, make choices that are lean, low-
fat, or fat-free.
● Limit intake of fats and oils high in saturated and/or trans fatty acids, and choose products low in such fats and oils.
● For children and adolescents 4 to 18 years of age, keep total fat intake between 25 to 35 percent of calories, with
most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as fish, nuts, and
vegetable oils.
● Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains often.
● Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little added sugars or caloric sweeteners.
● Consume less than 2300 mg (approximately 1 tsp of salt) of sodium per day.
● Choose and prepare foods with little salt. At the same time, consume potassium-rich foods, such as fruits and
vegetables.
● Consume sugar- and starch-containing foods and beverages less frequently, and practice good oral hygiene to
reduce the incidence of dental caries.
The dietary intake of American children does not match these recommendations. Many adolescents receive a higher
proportion of energy from fat and/or added sugar and have a lower intake of a vitamin A, folic acid, fiber, iron, calcium,
and zinc than is recommended. (See "Adolescent eating habits".)
SOCIETY GUIDELINE LINKS
Links to society and government-sponsored guidelines from selected countries and regions around the world are provided
separately. (See "Society guideline links: Healthy diet in children".)
SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS
● Energy requirements depend on basal metabolism, the energy cost of growth, and physical activity. The basal
metabolic rate (BMR) relative to weight increases from birth to two years and then gradually declines through
adolescence (figure 1). The energy cost of growth peaks at the time of maximum growth velocity in early
adolescence. (See 'Basal metabolism' above and 'Energy cost of growth' above.)
● The energy expenditure of physical activity can be expressed as a multiple of BMR and is determined by the time
spent on an activity and the intensity of effort. Energy expenditure also varies with age, size, level of training, ethnic

background, and the presence or absence of obesity; typical energy expenditure during some recreational activities
is shown in the table (table 1). (See 'Physical activity' above.)
● Estimated energy requirements of adolescents are based on their total energy expenditure and requirements for
growth, taking into account habitual physical activity levels (table 2). Although the recommendations allow for various
levels of physical activity, the active or very active levels of physical activity are encouraged for all healthy children.
(See 'Total energy requirements' above.)
● Prediction equations provide estimates of the energy requirement for an individual, based on age, gender, height,
weight, and physical activity level. For adolescents who are overweight or obese, a separate set of prediction
equations provides estimates of the energy needs required for weight maintenance at a given level of physical
activity. This estimate can be used to develop goals for energy intake and physical activity for weight management.
(See 'Prediction equations' above.)
● Many adolescents receive a higher proportion of energy from fat and/or added sugar and have a lower intake of
several micronutrients than is recommended. Key dietary recommendations for children and adolescents are to keep
total fat intake between 25 to 35 percent of calories (with most fats as polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty
acids); emphasize fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains; and limit foods and beverages with added sugars.
(See 'Recommended composition of dietary energy intake' above.)
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Topic 5351 Version 23.0

GRAPHICS
Weight-specific basal metabolic rate, activity energy

expenditure, and total energy expenditure (MJ/kg per day)
of infants and children from birth to 18 years of age
BMR: basal metabolic rate; AEE: activity energy expenditure; TEE: total energy
expenditure.
Data from: Torun, B, Davies, PS, Livingstone, MB, et al. Energy requirements and dietary
energy recommendations for children and adolescents 1 to 18 years old. Eur J Clin Nutr
1996; 50 Suppl 1:S37.
Graphic 76918 Version 2.0

Youth metabolic equivalent (MET y ) as multiples of basal metabolic rate of selected activities for
adolescent boys and girls
MET y by age group

Activity
10 to 12 years 13 to 15 years 16 to 18 years
Sitting activities
Watching television, sitting 1.3 1.3 1.2
Computer work 1.5 1.4 1.4
Schoolwork 1.5 1.5 1.4
Video games* 1.5 1.5 1.5
Standing activities
Standing 1.7 1.7 1.6
Active video games (upper 2.3 2.4 2.6

body, Wii basketball)
Active video games (full body, 3.2 4.1 4.9

Wii aerobics)
Active play activities
Aerobic dance 4.1 4.5 4.8
Riding bike (medium speed) 5.3 5.8 6.4
Ball games ¶ (moderate 6.2 6.3 6.5

intensity)
Ball games ¶ (vigorous 6.3 6.4 6.6

intensity)
Playing tag (moderate) 6.3 6.4 6.6
Jump rope 7.1 7.2 7.4
Walking/running
Walking (3.5 mi/hour) 5.0 5.3 5.5
Stair walking (ascending) 5.2 5.8 6.3
Jog (slow) 5.9 6.3 6.7
Jog (fast) 7.9 8.5 8.8
Run (5 mi/hour) 8.0 8.6 9.3
Run (7 mi/hour) 10.2 11.0 11.8
Sports/games/swimming
Skiing 5.8 6.0 6.2
Tennis 6.3 6.5 6.7
Basketball (game) 7.0 7.2 7.5
Soccer (game) 8.1 8.4 8.7
Swimming (front crawl, 1 m/s) 9.7 9.4 9.2
Metabolic equivalents (METs) are used to express the energy costs of physical activities as multiples of resting metabolic rate. METs for youth
(METy) were computed from measured oxygen consumption of each activity divided by basal metabolic rate predicted from Schofield age-,
sex-, and mass-specific equations.
* Compilation of games.
¶ Bouncing, kicking, dribbling ball, reaction ball.
Data from: Butte NF, Watson KB, Ridley K, et al. A Youth Compendium of Physical Activities: Activity Codes and Metabolic Intensities. Med Sci Sports
Exerc 2018; 50:246.

Estimated energy requirements (EER) for boys and girls based on age and physical activity level
Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) in kcal/day*

Age Boys Girls
(years)
Sedentary Low Active Very Active Sedentary Low Active Very Active
Active PAL Active PAL
PAL PAL PAL PAL PAL PAL
9 1530 1787 2043 2359 1415 1660 1890 2273
10 1601 1875 2149 2486 1470 1729 1972 2376
11 1691 1985 2279 2640 1538 1813 2071 2500
12 1798 2113 2428 2817 1617 1909 2183 2640
13 1935 2276 2618 3038 1684 1992 2281 2762
14 2090 2459 2829 3283 1718 2036 2334 2831
15 2223 2618 3013 3499 1731 2057 2362 2870
16 2320 2736 3152 3663 1729 2059 2368 2883
17 2366 2796 3226 3754 1710 2042 2353 2871
18 2383 2823 3263 3804 1690 2024 2336 2858
EER: estimated energy requirements; PAL: physical activity levels; CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
* Estimated energy requirements (EER) for boys and girls with reference height and weights equal to the median values of CDC growth charts [1] for
four physical activity levels (PAL).
Reference:
1. CDC Growth Charts: United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; US Department of Health and Human Services. Available at:
http://www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/.
Data from: Institute of Medicine (IOM). Dietary reference intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids,
National Academies Press, Washington, DC 2005.

Contributor Disclosures
Nancy F Butte, PhD Nothing to disclose Kathleen J Motil, MD, PhD Nothing to disclose Alison G Hoppin, MD Nothing to disclose
Contributor disclosures are reviewed for conflicts of interest by the editorial group. When found, these are addressed by vetting through
a multi-level review process, and through requirements for references to be provided to support the content. Appropriately referenced
content is required of all authors and must conform to UpToDate standards of evidence.
Conflict of interest policy

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28/7/2020 Dietary energy requirements in adolescents - UpToDate

Official reprint from UpToDate®

● For males, 10 to 18 years of age:

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BMR (MJ/day) = (0.074 x body weight [kg]) + 2.754

BMR (kcal/day) = (17.69 x body weight [kg]) + 658

● For females, 10 to 18 years of age:

BMR (MJ/day) = (0.056 x body weight [kg]) + 2.898

BMR (kcal/day) = (13.38 x body weight [kg]) + 693

ENERGY COST OF GROWTH

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Energy cost of physical activity

● Training can decrease the energy cost of running.

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of age than in children 15 to 19 years of age.

TOTAL ENERGY REQUIREMENTS

● Boys 9 through 18 years:

The factor of 25 is included to account for the energy cost of growth.

● Girls 9 through 18 years:

The factor of 25 is included to account for the energy cost of growth.

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● Boys 3 through 18 years:

● Girls 3 through 18 years:

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● Choose fiber-rich fruits, vegetables, and whole grains often.

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SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS

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Weight-specific basal metabolic rate, activity energy

Graphic 76918 Version 2.0

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MET y by age group

Watching television, sitting 1.3 1.3 1.2

Computer work 1.5 1.4 1.4

Schoolwork 1.5 1.5 1.4

Video games* 1.5 1.5 1.5

Standing 1.7 1.7 1.6

Active video games (upper 2.3 2.4 2.6

Active video games (full body, 3.2 4.1 4.9

Active play activities

Aerobic dance 4.1 4.5 4.8

Riding bike (medium speed) 5.3 5.8 6.4

Ball games ¶ (moderate 6.2 6.3 6.5

Ball games ¶ (vigorous 6.3 6.4 6.6

Playing tag (moderate) 6.3 6.4 6.6

Jump rope 7.1 7.2 7.4

Walking (3.5 mi/hour) 5.0 5.3 5.5

Stair walking (ascending) 5.2 5.8 6.3

Jog (slow) 5.9 6.3 6.7

Jog (fast) 7.9 8.5 8.8

Run (5 mi/hour) 8.0 8.6 9.3

Run (7 mi/hour) 10.2 11.0 11.8

Skiing 5.8 6.0 6.2

Tennis 6.3 6.5 6.7

Basketball (game) 7.0 7.2 7.5

Soccer (game) 8.1 8.4 8.7

Swimming (front crawl, 1 m/s) 9.7 9.4 9.2