The daily calorie requirement for adult men in China is about 2,000 to 3,000 kilocalories, and for adult women it is about 1,800 to 2,400 kilocalories. The calorie requirement varies according to the individual’s physique and activity level.
In order to maintain normal body functions, the minimum amount of calories we need daily needs to at least meet the basal metabolism. An average woman of average size needs about 1500 kcal to satisfy her basal metabolism and an average man needs about 1800 kcal to satisfy his basal metabolism.
Depending on the intensity of the activity, the amount of calories needed increases accordingly. For example, for general activity intensity (e.g., office clerks), the calorie requirement is about 1.375 times the basal calorie; for those engaged in high physical labor or strenuous exercise (e.g., construction workers), the calorie requirement is about 1.9 times the basal calorie.