How Many Calories Do Kids Need?

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The question posed by the title has no unique answer, of course. The amount of calories needed by kids, as with adults, will vary quite a bit from individual to individual. But, also as with adults, general guidelines can still be given.

While younger children are, on average, smaller than older ones their metabolism is also different. So, no simple linear relationship between age and calories is possible. But the question has been studied for decades and experts generally agree on the following.

For a newborn baby, up to about age five months, 650 calories is plenty. Naturally, they'll get most of that from mother's milk, if they're breastfed, or from cow's or goat's milk otherwise. But even for children at that young age, many parents have read up on the latest research regarding supplements for kids. They know that some, such as folic acid, are beneficial even this early in life. Many supplements add some calories to the total and their contributions should be taken into account.

For the rest of the first year, the number rises to about 850 calories. Of course, there's no sharp dividing line that suddenly calls for a 200 calorie increase. Any additional calories provided should be given incrementally. But owing to the rapid growth spurts children of this age experience, the transition can be as short as a couple of weeks.

From ages 1-3, the recommended amount rises sharply to 1,300 calories per day. That intake should be composed of a variety of fruits, vegetables, and other things commonly known to be good for adults and children alike. But supplements play a role here, too. Kids can be very picky eaters and, like adults, caloric intake and nutrition isn't always gained solely from the food consumed.

From 4-6 years of age the number rises again to around 1,800 calories per day. Once age 7 is reached, until about age 10, the number increases about 10% to 2,000. That number is roughly what a dieting adult, interested in weight loss, would require with only light exercise. Here again, since diet is often deficient in one or more needed compounds, a multi-vitamin or other form of supplement can be a big boon to health.

Once children reach approximately age 11, and for the next several years, the number of calories needed will differ somewhat by gender. The reasons are fairly obvious. Girls may mature faster psychologically, on average, but a boy's physique during this period begins to outpace most females. Chests and shoulders broaden, biceps and thighs develop more bulk and a boy begins to get taller than the average girl.

As a result of these changes, boys age 11-14 require about 2,500 calories per day. Once they reach about age 15 the number goes up to about 3,000. That's large for any child fighting obesity and the number will need to be reduced, just as it would for a dieting adult. But, for most, the average holds. Girls, by contrast, need only about 2,200 calories between ages 11-14 and 2,500 from ages 15-18.

As a reminder, these numbers are only guidelines. Your child may be naturally smaller or larger than another. He or she may have a metabolism that burns calories faster, or one that operates slower. The information should be supplemented by keeping an eye out for obesity or excessive thinness.