Female adolescents require about 1,800 to 2,400 calories per day, and male adolescents require about 2,000 to 3,200 calories per day.
Healthy US-Style Dietary Pattern for Adolescents Ages 14 Through 18, With Daily or Weekly Amounts From Food Groups, Subgroups, and Components
Calorie Level of Patterna | 1,800 | 2,000 | 2,200 | 2,400 | 2,600 | 2,800 | 3,000 | 3,200 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Food Group or Subgroup | Daily Amount of Food From Each Group (Vegetable and protein foods subgroup amounts are per week.) | |||||||
Vegetables (cup eq/day) | 2½ | 2½ | 3 | 3 | 3½ | 3½ | 4 | 4 |
Vegetable Subgroups in Weekly Amounts | ||||||||
Dark-green vegetables (cup eq/wk) | 1½ | 1½ | 2 | 2 | 2½ | 2½ | 2½ | 2½ |
Red and orange vegetables (cup eq/wk) | 5½ | 5½ | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7½ | 7½ |
Beans, peas, lentils (cup eq/wk) | 1½ | 1½ | 2 | 2 | 2½ | 2½ | 3 | 3 |
Starchy vegetables (cup eq/wk) | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 8 |
Other vegetables (cup eq/wk) | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5½ | 5½ | 7 | 7 |
Fruits (cup eq/day) | 1½ | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2½ | 2½ | 2½ |
Grains (ounce eq/day) | 6 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Whole grains (ounce eq/day) | 3 | 3 | 3½ | 4 | 4½ | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Refined grains (ounce eq/day) | 3 | 3 | 3½ | 4 | 4½ | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Dairy (cup eq/day) | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
Protein foods (ounce eq/day) | 5 | 5½ | 6 | 6½ | 6½ | 7 | 7 | 7 |
Protein Foods Subgroups in Weekly Amounts | ||||||||
Meats, poultry, eggs (ounce eq/wk) | 23 | 26 | 28 | 31 | 31 | 33 | 33 | 33 |
Seafood (ounce eq/wk) | 8 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 |
Nuts, seeds, soy products (ounce eq/wk) | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
Oils (grams/day) | 24 | 27 | 29 | 31 | 34 | 36 | 44 | 51 |
Limit on calories for other uses (kcal/day)b | 140 | 240 | 250 | 320 | 350 | 370 | 440 | 580 |
Limit on calories for other uses (%/day) | 8% | 12% | 11% | 13% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 18% |
a Calorie level ranges: Females: 1,800-2,400 calories; Males: 2,000-3,200 calories. Energy levels are calculated based on reference height (median) and reference weight (healthy) corresponding with a healthy body mass index. Calorie needs vary based on many factors. The DRI Calculator for Healthcare Professionals, available at nal.usda.gov/human-nutrition and-food-safety/dri-calculator, can be used to estimate calorie needs based on age, sex, height, weight, activity level.
b All foods are assumed to be in nutrient-dense forms; lean or low-fat; and prepared with minimal added sugars, saturated fat, refined starches, or sodium. If all food choices to meet food group recommendations are in nutrient-dense forms, a small number of calories remain within the overall limit of the pattern (ie, limit on calories for other uses). The number of calories depends on the total calorie level of the pattern and the amounts of food from each food group required to meet nutritional goals. Calories up to the specified limit can be used for added sugars and/or saturated fat, or to eat more than the recommended amount of food in a food group.
Note: The total dietary pattern should not exceed Dietary Guidelines limits for added sugars and saturated fat; be within the acceptable macronutrient distribution ranges for protein, carbohydrate, and total fats; and stay within calorie limits. Values are rounded.
From US Department of Agriculture, US Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025. 9th ed. 2020. Accessed March 17, 2023. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/sites/default/files/2020-12/Dietary_Guidelines_for_Americans_2020-2025.pdf.