Resting Energy Expenditure (REE) Calculator
Enter sex, age, height and weight to estimate the calories your body uses at rest in a day, by two respected methods.
- Nothing you type is stored
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Resting energy (Mifflin-St Jeor)
1,620kcal/day
- FAO/WHO/UNU (1985)
- 1,690 kcal/day
- Per hour
- 67 kcal
- Per kg body weight per day
- 23.1 kcal
An estimate for general information, not medical advice.
How to use
- Enter sex and age.
- Enter height and weight.
- Compare Mifflin-St Jeor with the FAO/WHO/UNU equation.
Good to know
Mifflin-St Jeor was built from measured resting energy expenditure in 498 adults (1990): 10W + 6.25H − 5A + 5 (men) or − 161 (women).
FAO/WHO/UNU (1985, WHO Technical Report Series 724) uses weight only, by age band. Men: 18–30 y 15.3W + 679; 30–60 y 11.6W + 879; over 60 13.5W + 487. Women: 18–30 y 14.7W + 496; 30–60 y 8.7W + 829; over 60 10.5W + 596. Indian energy requirement reports have long used this family of equations.
REE and BMR are close: REE is measured after a short rest and is usually a few percent higher than strict BMR. Both are estimates; a lab test (indirect calorimetry) is the only way to measure yours.
Questions
What is the difference between REE and BMR?
BMR is measured under strict conditions (after sleep, fasting, lying still). REE is measured after a short rest, so it is slightly higher. Calculators treat them almost the same.
Why do the two equations disagree?
FAO/WHO/UNU ignores height and was built from older data. Differences of 50–150 kcal are common.
Which should Indians use?
Both are reasonable. Mifflin-St Jeor is widely used in clinics today; FAO/WHO/UNU is the basis of many international and Indian energy reports.
How do I turn REE into daily calories?
Multiply by an activity factor (1.2 to 1.9), or use the TDEE calculator.
Is my data stored?
No. Everything is calculated on your device.