Health Check
Calorie is an energy measurement unit. One calorie of heat energy is required to raise one gram of water by one degree Celsius. 1,000 calories equal 1 kilocalorie (kcal), which is commonly used in measuring food energy.
Estimation of daily energy requirements for healthy individuals takes account of age, gender, body weight and activity level. Adjustment may be necessary for individuals. Individuals with low activity level should avoid consuming too much high energy food, such as fried food, sweeties, and desserts in order to prevent obesity; while teenagers, individuals with increased activity level, pregnant or lactating women should have a balanced diet to ensure adequate energy intake.
Daily Energy Requirement for Men & Female
| Age | 1 | 2-3 | 4-6 | 7-9 | 10-12 | 13-15 | 16-18 | 19-24 | 25-49 | 50-74 | 75 |
| Energy (Calories) | |||||||||||
| Male | 1100 | 1300 | 1800 | 2200 | 2500 | 2800 | 3200 | 3000 | 2700 | 2300 | 2000 |
| Female | 1100 | 1300 | 1800 | 1900 | 2200 | 2200 | 2100 | 2100 | 1900 | 1800 | 1700 |
Pregnancy (Extra energy required): First Trimester + 100 Calories; Second Trimester + 300 Calories; Third Trimester + 300 Calories Lactation (Extra energy required) Lactation period + 450 Calories [E.g.: Energy Required for a 25 year-old pregnant woman during first trimester: 1900 Calories + 100 Calories] |
Surplus Energy intake of every 3500 calories leads to increase in body weight by 1 pound. When daily energy intake is larger than daily energy expenditure, and the activity level is low, obesity will be resulted.
Table: Energy Expenditure of CommonExercise
| Types of Exercises | Energy Expenditure(Energy expended by a 60 kg individual performing 30 minutes of this exercise) |
| Walking (Speed: 5km/ hr) | 135 Calories |
| Swimming (breaststroke, Speed: 20 mile/min) | 135 Calories |
| Badminton | 155 Calories |
| Tennis | 190 Calories |
| Heath Dance | 197 Calories |
| Basketball (half court) | 248 Calories |
| Volleyball | 267 Calories |
| Jogging (Speed: 8km/ hr) | 293 Calories |
| Running (Speed: 10km/ hr) | 306 Calories |
Health Eating Pyramid
Food can be classified into five main groups: cereals, meat, protein, fruits, and vegetables, and dairy products. The main nutrients provided by these foods are carbohydrates, protein, fat, minerals and vitamins. Our body obtains varying amounts of these nutrients from different types of food and then utilizes them to promote growth, help development and maintain health. Therefore, we must have a balanced diet in order to obtain sufficient and appropriate nutrients. To have a balanced diet, the principles of the food pyramid must be followed.
