Calories and nutrients: What factors affect your diet as you age

(Special Reports – Lifestyle) I am over 50 years old and I heard that it is normal to burn less Calories like I’m getting old. it’s the truth? You could say burning calories is “the first step to survival,” said Herman Pontzer, a professor of evolutionary anthropology at Duke University. Food provides the body with the fuel it needs to stay healthy.

According to Pontzer and other experts, age — among other factors — can significantly affect the amount of calories needed to maintain weight and basic body functions.

This is what you need to know.

he Your body size It’s the most important factor that affects your calorie needs, Pontzer said. “The bigger you are, the more calories you need.” He added that the stage of life we ​​live in is also crucial.

the Infants and childrenFor example, they need Fewer calories Of adults just because they are smaller. But when you count the calories Their consumption is relative to their body sizeIn fact they are More than what adults consume They are growing and evolving,” Pontzer explained.

Getting more physical activity also increases the number of calories burned, according to Ana Maria Ceja Reyes, professor of nutrition and dean of the School of Public Health and Health Sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Campus. She was the lead author of a 2023 report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that estimated caloric needs for the population of the United States and Canada.

According to that report, A 40-year-old inactive man weighing 90 kilograms needs about 2,700 calories per day. To maintain your weight and basic body functions. But if you’re an athlete and train a few hours a day, you’ll need about 3,500 calories a day.

According to the same report, From 19 years oldthe Calorie needs “decrease” A little bit every year, some 11 calories per year For men and seven for women, according to Susan Roberts, associate dean for basic research at Dartmouth’s Geisel School of Medicine.

For example, a 77-kg woman who walks for between 60 and 80 minutes a day will need 2,450 calories per day by the age of 20; But at age 60, the number will drop to 2,150, and by age 80, it will drop to 2,000.

According to Roberts, this age-related decline in calorie burning is usually especially noticeable after age 60, and can manifest in weight gain or a less robust appetite. As you age, you tend to lose muscle and gain fatThus, burning fewer calories. In addition, the brain – the most metabolically active tissue in the body – naturally shrinks in size and requires less energy.

It’s also common for people to become less physically active as they age, which reduces the number of calories they burn each day, Sega Rez explained.

You can calculate your calorie needs using our online calculator. Keep in mind that these calculators only give you a general idea of ​​what you should consume. Your actual needs will vary depending on your daily activities, genetics and other factors, Sega-Rez said.

If you’re wondering if you’re getting the right amount of calories, the best way to check is to weigh yourself from time to time, Sega-Reese says. If your weight is relatively stable, this means that you are eating a sufficient number of calories.

But for some people, Focusing too much on the scale can exacerbate or exacerbate anxiety about food and weightSo weigh yourself only as much as you feel comfortable, Sega-Rez cautioned.

The good news is that it probably is You don’t have to be very conscious of the calories you consume as you ageBecause your appetite will likely decrease naturally to match your needs, Pontzer said.

But as you age, it’s important to make sure you get the right balance of nutrients, Roberts said.

For example, research suggests that after age 50, your body needs more of some nutrients, such as calcium, vitamin B6, vitamin D and protein, even though you probably consume fewer daily calories overall.

According to Sega Rez, you’ll have to allocate more calories from your daily “budget” to foods that provide you with more nutrients: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein sources.

Roberts agrees. When you’re in your 20s and 30s, “sometimes you still have calories left to spend on chocolate, beer or a piece of cake,” he said. He warned that if you are 80 and only consume about 1,500 calories a day, there will be less room for enjoyment.

In the opinion of Roberts recommends that seniors take multivitamin supplements to help fill in any nutritional gaps.. But even then, a good diet is still essential to ensure you get other important nutrients, including protein, fiber and healthy plant compounds.