Determining the recommended daily caloric requirement for a teenager

There are several components to what makes up the number of calories a teenager should consume. Calories in food basically measure the amount of energy it gives to the body.

The body demands the right number of calories in order to perform basic daily functions, and the key factor to determining the right caloric intake is activity level. Metabolism, gender, age, and weight and body composition also play a role in determining the different amount of calories the body must receive.

One's basal metabolic rate, commonly known as metabolism, affects a teenager's caloric requirement. Metabolism is basically the energy the body needs to use in order to perform basic functions such as respiration and digestion.

The higher metabolism a person has, the quicker they burn calories. Metabolism is

influenced by activity level, genetics, and types of food one intakes. In 

general, lots of activity and small periodic meals lead to higher metabolism, which leads to greater need for caloric intake.

Activities with greater physical exertion needed uses up the body’s energy supply. 

Age is another factor that determines the amount of calories teenagers need. Metabolism decrease as you grow older, which means the requirement for caloric intake is lower than when you were younger. But, if you remain active, your metabolism rate will remain high. 30 minutes of activity daily for 5 days a week is recommended for a teenager in order to keep a high metabolism rate and maintain general fitness.

Gender plays a role in determining the amount of calories teenagers need. Women and girls tend to have more body fat and less muscle than men, which generally makes their metabolism lower than men, who tend to have larger bodies and a larger caloric requirement. Men have a higher caloric intake in there teen years than any other time of their life. The recommend daily caloric intake for 15-18 year old teenage boys is 2,400-3,200 calories daily and 11-18 year old teenage girls need 1,800-2,400 calories daily. But, teenage girls and boys daily caloric requirement can vary depending on their activity level; lower activity level requires fewer calories than a high activity level.

A teenager's caloric intake needs are highly dependable on body composition, which is the amount of muscle vs. fat the body has.  Large bodied people need more calories to supply the body energy in order to maintain their weight. They burn calories faster than smaller sized bodies and also have more muscle content. Fat uses up calories slower than muscle content, so the higher muscle content you have, the higher metabolism you have. Higher muscle content is gained by working out and lifting weights.

Bibliography:

Pictures: 

"Girl On Film: My Thoughts About Running." Girl On Film. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 May 2013. <http://jessica-girlonfilm.blogspot.com/2013/03/my-thoughts-about-running.html>

"Group Of Teenagers Playing Street Basketball Royalty Free Stock Photo, Pictures, Images And Stock Photography. Image 11407057. ." Stock Photos and Royalty Free Image Subscription from 123RF Stock Photography . N.p., n.d. Web. 3 May 2013. <http://www.123rf.com/photo_11407057_group-of-teenagers-playing-street-basketball.html>.

Information: 

Coleman, Erin, R.D., and L.D.. "Minimum Calorie Intake for a Teenage Girl | Healthy Eating | SF Gate." Healthy Eating | SF Gate. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. <http://healthyeating.sfgate.com/minimum-calorie-intake-teenage-girl-5199.html>.

"Recommended Calorie Intake - Diet Guidelines - Vital Health Zone." Vital Health Zone - All About Health and Nutrition. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Apr. 2013. <http://www.vitalhealthzone.com/nutrition/diets/recommended_calorie_intake.html#1>

Ulmer, Graham . "What Factors Determine The Number Of Calories You Need To Consume Each Day? | LIVESTRONG.COM." LIVESTRONG.COM - Lose Weight & Get Fit with Diet, Nutrition & Fitness Tools | LIVESTRONG.COM. N.p., n.d. Web. 5 May 2013. <http://www.livestrong.com/article/314823-what-factors-determine-the-number-of-calories-you-need-to-consume-each-day/>.