Energy requirement varies amongst individuals; depending on

Female salesperson
Body weight of 50 to 60 kg (110 to 132 lb)
Low activity level
Requires about 1800 to 2000 kcal daily
Male cleaner
Body weight of 60 to 65 kg (132 to 143 lb)
Low to medium activity level
Requires about 2400 to 2800 kcal daily

Energy requirement of people in different age groups and physical activity levels:

  Average Daily Energy Requirement (kcal)
Physical Activity Level (PAL) Male Female
18-49 years old
Light 2420 1955
Medium 2779 2055
Heavy 3278 2280
50-59 years old
Light 2404 1976
Medium 2761 2079
Heavy 3257 2306

Reference weight for male: aged 18-49 (63kg); aged 50-59 (65kg)
Reference weight for female: aged 18-49 (56kg); aged 50-59 (58kg)
(Source of information:”中國居民膳食營養素攝入量(簡要本), 中國營養學會)

Physical Activity Level (PAL) Examples of Occupation
Light Office workers, salesperson, teachers, hotel attendants
Medium Students, factory workers, heavy machine operators
Heavy Athletes, dancers, labour workers

Daily intake upper limits of nutrients (except sodium) are directly proportional to energy requirements

Energy (kcal) 1800 2000 2800
Total Fat (g) 54 60 84
Sugars (g) 45 50 70
Sodium (mg) 2000 2000 2000

The above information is for reference only. People should adjust their daily energy requirement according to their own conditions (e.g. whether they have chronic diseases, or whether they are overweight or obese etc). Please consult your family doctors or dietitians for further advice.