Caloric Requirement for Teens

Pediatric nutritionists and dietitians agree that a balanced diet, which includes foods from all main food groups, contains enough calories to maintain a healthy weight and should meet all the energy requirements of a healthy adolescent and teenagers, which makes counting calories not strictly necessary. But here is an approximate guide to the basic teenager calorie requirements.


Calorie needs for teenagers are determined by gender as well as age. Boys typically need more calories than girls. Female teens should also get iron because it is needed during the start of menstruation for females. Males need iron during lean body mass development. On average, male teens meet their iron requirements with little difficulty. However, females barely meet their requirements. Calcium is important for bone growth. If teens increase their bone health they have a decreased risk of teen fractures and osteoporosis during adulthood. Females are particularly at risk if they don't meet their calcium requirements. It has been found that females aged 13-17 have an intake of approximately 1000 mg/day while the daily recommended intake is 1300 mg/day. males of the same age were found to meet their requirements at about 1400 mg/day. The low intake in females is due to the low intake of milk and other dairy products. To avoid this, teens should have 3 to 4 servings of milk products per day.

There are also other relevant factors in calculating energy needs such as size, body composition, and level of activity. An active teen at the top of the pediatric growth chart typically requires more calories than a smaller or less active teen. Athletes who regularly engage in vigorous exercise may need more total calories than the usual recommendation. This supplement should come from complex carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, and whole-grain products) instead of high-protein (and usually high-fat) foods. In this case, athletes need more energy, not protein. Some athletes believe in eating special foods right before participating in an event however it would be better for them to eat nothing just before an event. Any food in your stomach while working out detours blood from your muscles where you need it most during an event. Instead, athletes should get a lot of complex carbohydrates in the meal before the preceding the event, but eat nothing 2 to 4 hours before it starts. Athletes should also drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, but avoid sugary beverages. Here are some tips on staying hydrated: