Recommended Daily Allowance

The concept of 'Recommended Daily Allowance' or 'Recommended Dietary Allowance' (RDA) was actually developed during the world war II to provide nutritious food for civilians and military personnel, taking into consideration availability of food and need for food rationing. The Food and Nutrition Board has thereafter revised RDAs every five to ten years. The guidelines established by USDA experts help people know the RDAs of each essential nutrient and the ideal number of servings of different food groups according to the food pyramid. RDA values indicate the necessary average daily dietary intake level of the given nutrient. RDA of a nutrient is so derived that it meets the nutrient requirements of nearly all (approximately 98%) healthy individuals.

Recommended Daily Calorie Intake

Recommended calorie intake is the most discussed or fiercely debated topic in society. People are becoming more and more health conscious. Calorie and weight loss diets are favorite topics of women as well as men. To know the daily calorie intake for men and women, you need to calculate the basal metabolic rate (BMR) first. Daily calorie intake varies according to physical activity. You may use the following formulas to calculate BMR.

BMR for women:
BMR for adult women = 655 + (9.6 x weight in kg) + (1.8 x height in cm) - (4.7 x age in years)
or
BMR for adult women = 655 + (4.35 x weight in pounds) + ( 4.7 x height in inches) - (4.7 x age in years)

BMR for Men:
66 + (13.7 x weight in kilos) + (5 x height in centimeters) - (6.8 x age in years)
[Note: 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters. 1 kilo = 2.2 pounds]

After calculating your BMR, you may calculate the required daily calorie intake by referring to the following table.

Recommended Daily Calorie Intake: According to BMR

Level of Physical Activity	Daily Calories Required
Very heavy exercise: twice a day or extra heavy workout	BMR x 1.9
Heavy exercise: almost everyday	BMR x 1.725
Moderate exercise: 3 - 5 days per week	BMR x 1.55
Light exercise:1 - 3 days per week	BMR x 1.375
Very little or no exercise	BMR x 1.2

Recommended Daily Calorie Intake: According to Age and Sex

Age Groups	Daily Calorie Intake: Men	Daily Calorie Intake: Women
1-3	1230	1165
4-6	1715	1545
7-10	1970	1740
11-14	2220	1845
15-18	2755	2110
19-59	2550	1940
60-74	2350	1900
75+	2100	1810

Recommended Daily Allowance of Various Nutrients

Following a healthy and balanced diet is essential if you want to enjoy a healthy and active life. Through various types of foods, we consume proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, water, minerals, dietary fiber, cholesterol, etc. Though these elements keep our body healthy, excessive consumption of any of these elements can lead to serious health complications. It is obvious that scarcity of the above mentioned elements can cause various health problems. Therefore it is essential to know the RDAs of various nutrients. Here follows the required information:

• RDA of protein for athletes is 1.2 to 1.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight.
• Maximum recommended protein intake for women is 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of ideal body weight. Ideal body weight of women is calculated by using the following formula: 100 pounds for 60 inches in height + 5 pounds for each additional inch over 60 inches.
• Maximum recommended protein intake for men is also 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of ideal body weight. Ideal body weight of men is calculated by using the following formula: 106 pounds for 60 inches in height + 6 pounds for each additional inch over 60 inches.
• The RDA of sugar may vary according to age, weight, and overall health. Recommended daily sugar intake for men is 36 grams or 9 teaspoons while the recommended daily sugar intake for women is 20 grams or 5 teaspoons. The recommended daily sugar intake for children is 12 grams or 3 teaspoons.
• The RDA of fat varies according to the age. Consumption of about 65g fat (good fat) is considered as normal for a 2000 calorie diet.

You should be aware of the recommended daily sodium intake or recommended water intake per day. Sufficient supply of water is necessary to keep you hydrated. Water enhances the process of throwing away of toxins and waste material from the body. Excessive intake of sodium can affect blood pressure levels and can cause heart diseases. These days, people opt for nutritional supplements for various reasons. These supplements increase the risk of side effects of excessive nutrients. For example, too much vitamin C can cause nausea, dizziness, headache, fever, indigestion, skin rashes, iron poisoning, vitamin B12 depletion, etc. So you need to check the RDAs of all the nutrients and consult your physician before opting for any type of supplements. If you want to include nutrients according to the RDAs, you should avoid processed, canned or fortified foods and consume fresh homemade food as far as possible.