Energy Intake,

Expenditure and
Balance
Subtitle
Key Points:

• Energy is needed by the body to stay alive, grow, keep warm and move
around.
• Energy is provided by food and drink. It comes from the fat,
carbohydrate, protein and alcohol the diet contains.
• Energy requirements vary from one individual to the next, depending on
factors such as age, sex, body composition and physical activity level.
• To maintain body weight, it is necessary to balance the energy derived
from food with that expended in physical activity. To lose weight, energy
expenditure must exceed intake, and to gain weight, energy intake
must exceed expenditure.
Introduction
Human energy requirements are estimated from measures of energy
expenditure plus the additional energy needs for growth, pregnancy and
lactation. Recommendations for dietary energy intake from food must
satisfy these requirements for the attainment and maintenance of
optimal health, physiological function and well-being. The latter (i.e.
well-being) depends not only on health, but also on the ability to satisfy
the demands imposed by society and the environment, as well as all the
other energy-demanding activities that fulfil individual needs.
Introduction
Energy balance is achieved when input (i.e. dietary energy intake) is equal to
output (i.e. total energy expenditure),

When energy balance is maintained over a prolonged period, an individual is considered to be

in a steady state. This can include short periods during which the day-to-day balance between
intake and expenditure does not occur. An optimal steady state is achieved when energy intake
compensates for total energy expenditure and allows for adequate growth in children, and
pregnancy and lactation in women, without imposing metabolic, physiological or behavioural
restrictions that limit the full expression of a person’s biological, social and economic potential.
Definitions
An adequate, healthy diet must satisfy human needs for energy and all essential nutrients.
Furthermore, dietary energy needs and recommendations cannot be considered in isolation of
other nutrients in the diet, as the lack of one will influence the others. Thus, the following
definitions are based on the assumption that requirements for energy will be fulfilled through the
consumption of a diet that satisfies all nutrient needs.

Energy requirement is the amount of food energy needed to balance energy expenditure in
order to maintain body size, body composition and a level of necessary and desirable physical
activity consistent with long-term good health. This includes the energy needed for the optimal
growth and development of children,
Definitions
An adequate, healthy diet must satisfy human needs for energy and all essential nutrients.
Furthermore, dietary energy needs and recommendations cannot be considered in isolation of
other nutrients in the diet, as the lack of one will influence the others. Thus, the following
definitions are based on the assumption that requirements for energy will be fulfilled through the
consumption of a diet that satisfies all nutrient needs.

Energy requirement is the amount of food energy needed to balance energy expenditure in
order to maintain body size, body composition and a level of necessary and desirable physical
activity consistent with long-term good health. This includes the energy needed for the optimal
growth and development of children,
The recommended level of dietary energy intake for a population group is the mean
energy requirement of the healthy, well-nourished individuals who constitute that group.

Daily energy requirements and daily energy intakes

Energy requirements and recommended levels of intake are often referred to as daily
requirements or recommended daily intakes. These terms are used as a matter of convention and
convenience, indicating that the requirement represents an average of energy needs over a certain
number of days, and that the recommended energy intake is the amount of energy that should be
ingested as a daily average over a certain period of time. There is no implication that exactly this amount
of energy must be consumed every day, nor that the requirement and recommended intake are constant,
day after day.
Average requirement and inter-individual variation
Energy for the metabolic and physiological functions of humans is derived from the chemical
energy bound in food and its macronutrient constituents, i.e. carbohydrates, fats, proteins and
ethanol, which act as substrates or fuels. After food is ingested, its chemical energy is released
and converted into thermic, mechanical and other forms of energy.
SOURCES OF DIETARY ENERGY

Energy for the metabolic and physiological functions of humans is derived from the chemical
energy bound in food and its macronutrient constituents, i.e. carbohydrates, fats, proteins and
ethanol, which act as substrates or fuels. After food is ingested, its chemical energy is released
and converted into thermic, mechanical and other forms of energy.

COMPONENTS OF ENERGY REQUIREMENTS

Human beings need energy for the following:

Basal metabolism. This comprises a series of functions that are essential for life, such as cell
function and replacement; the synthesis, secretion and metabolism of enzymes and hormones to
transport proteins and other substances and molecules; the maintenance of body temperature;
uninterrupted work of cardiac and respiratory muscles; and brain function.
Metabolic response to food. Eating requires energy for the ingestion and digestion of food, and
for the absorption, transport, interconversion, oxidation and deposition of nutrients. These
metabolic processes increase heat production and oxygen consumption,

Physical activity. Humans perform obligatory and discretionary physical activities. Obligatory activities
can seldom be avoided within a given setting, and they are imposed on the individual by economic, cultural
or societal demands. In addition to occupational work, obligatory activities include daily activities such as
going to school, tending to the home and family and other demands made on children and adults by their
economic, social and cultural environment.

Discretionary activities, although not socially or economically essential, are important for health, well-
being and a good quality of life in general. They include the regular practice of physical activity for fitness
and health; the performance of optional household tasks that may contribute to family comfort and well-
being; and the engagement in individually and socially desirable activities for personal enjoyment, social
interaction and community development.
Growth. The energy cost of growth has two components: 1) the energy needed to synthesize growing
tissues; and 2) the energy deposited in those tissues.

Pregnancy. During pregnancy, extra energy is needed for the growth of the foetus, placenta and various
maternal tissues, such as in the uterus, breasts and fat stores, as well as for changes in maternal
metabolism and the increase in maternal effort at rest and during physical activity.

Lactation. The energy cost of lactation has two components: 1) the energy content of the milk secreted; and
2) the energy required to produce that milk. Well-nourished lactating women can derive part of this additional
requirement from body fat stores accumulated during pregnancy.
Energy balance

Your weight depends on the balance between how much

energy you consume from food and drinks, and the total
amount of energy that is used by your body. When you eat or
drink more energy than you use, you put on weight; if you
consume less energy from your diet than you use, you lose
weight; but if you eat and drink the same amount of energy as
you use up, you are in energy balance and your weight
remains the same. It is important for your health to maintain a
healthy weight.
Energy in = calories taken
in from the diet. Energy out
= calories used by the
body for physical activity
and other bodily processes
such as heart rate and
breathing
How is energy content calculated?

The total energy content of a food

can be found by burning it and
measuring how much heat is
released.

Foods with fewer calories per gram

such as fruits, vegetables, low fat
soups, lean protein and fibre-rich
foods have a relatively low energy
density.
How is energy content calculated?

Foods with a high fat and/or

low water content such as
chocolate, cakes, biscuits,
deep fried foods and snacks,
butter and oils, have a
relatively high energy density.

Basing your diet on foods which are lower in

calories (or have a lower energy density), and
eating foods which are high in calories (or have
a higher energy density) less often and in small
amounts, can help to control you overall
calorie intake. Some foods with a higher energy
density such as oily fish, cheese, nuts, seeds and
avocados contain healthier types of fat and
other important nutrients meaning they can be
consumed in moderate amounts as part of a
healthy, balanced diet.
Energy density

We all need energy to grow, stay alive, keep warm and be active. Energy is provided by
the carbohydrate, protein and fat in the food and drinks we consume. It is also provided
by alcohol. Different food and drinks provide different amounts of energy. You can find
this information on food labels when they are present.
Energy is measured in units of kilocalories (kcal) or kilojoules (kJ).
One kilocalorie (1 kcal) is equal to 4.18 kilojoules (4.18 kJ).

•Fat contains 9 kcal (37 kJ) per gram

•Alcohol contains 7 kcal (29 kJ) per gram

•Protein contains 4 kcal (17 kJ) per gram

•Carbohydrate contains 3.75 kcal (16 kJ) per gram (for the purposes of food labelling this
is rounded up to 4 kcal per gram)

The amount of energy a food contains per gram is known as its

energy density so we can describe fat as more energy dense than
protein or carbohydrate.
What should my daily intake of
calories be?

An ideal daily intake of calories varies depending on age,

metabolism and levels of physical activity, among other things.

Generally, the recommended daily calorie intake is 2,000

calories a day for women and 2,500 for men.
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR PHYSICAL ACTIVITY

A certain amount of activity must be performed regularly in

order to maintain overall health and fitness, to achieve energy
balance and to reduce the risk of developing obesity and
associated diseases, most of which are associated with a
sedentary lifestyle. This expert consultation therefore endorsed
the proposition that recommendations for dietary energy intake
must be accompanied by recommendations for an appropriate
level of habitual physical activity
Recommended Activities
Moderate to Vigorous

Light to Moderate
Vigorous
Running Activities
Jogging
Walking
Warm
ups
References:
Human energy requirements
Report of a Joint FAO/WHO/UNU Expert Consultation, Rome, 17-24 October 2001, Principles
and Definition

Energy Intake and Expenditure, British Nutrition Foundation, nutrition.org.uk

Estimated Calorie Requirements, Reviewed by Kathleen M. Zelman, MPH, RD, LD on August 18,
2008, Nourish WebMD
Picture with
CaptionLayout
Caption