EER — Estimated Energy Requirement Calculator

Formula

How this is calculated

The Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) is defined by the Institute of Medicine (IOM, now National Academy of Medicine) as the average dietary energy intake predicted to maintain energy balance in a healthy adult of defined age, sex, weight, height, and physical activity level. The 2002 DRI report introduced prediction equations derived from doubly-labelled water studies — the gold standard for measuring actual total energy expenditure.

For adult males (≥19 years): EER = 662 − 9.53 × Age + PA × (15.91 × Weight_kg + 539.6 × Height_m). For adult females (≥19 years): EER = 354 − 6.91 × Age + PA × (9.36 × Weight_kg + 726 × Height_m). The Physical Activity (PA) coefficient varies by sex and activity level. For males: 1.0 (sedentary), 1.11 (low active), 1.25 (active), 1.48 (very active). For females: 1.0 (sedentary), 1.12 (low active), 1.27 (active), 1.45 (very active). The IOM defines "active" as walking the equivalent of 60 minutes at a moderate pace per day on top of daily activities.

For pregnant women, the IOM adds an energy deposition term: +0 kcal in the first trimester, +340 kcal in the second trimester, and +452 kcal in the third trimester. For breastfeeding, the addition is +500 kcal per day for the first 6 months and +400 kcal for months 7–12. EER is a population-average prediction, not an individual prescription — it assumes the person is at a healthy body weight. If you are overweight or underweight, or have a medical condition, consult a registered dietitian for a personalised assessment.