FACTORS AFFECTING

THE DAILY ENERGY

REQUIREMENT

AGE
Growing children and teenagers need
more energy when compared to adults.
Their metabolic rate is higher because
they require more energy for growth.
In adults, the metabolic rate tends to
decrease slowly as life progesses.

SEX

A male adult
normally needs more
energy than a female
adult of the same age
and body size. The
metabolic rate in
males is much higher
than that of females.

SIZE / BODY
WEIGHT
People who are smaller in
size have a larger surface area
per unit volume when
compared to people who are
larger in size. Thus, the rate of
heat loss is higher in smallersized people. Small-sized
people need more energy per
gram of body weight when

 A person who is very active

and does heavy work needs
more energy each day than a
person who is moderately
active.

OCCUPATIO
N

A moderately active person in

turn requires more energy than
a person who practises a
selection lifestyle.