342 HOW DOES MAN DETERMINE THE VALUE OF FOOD? 



carrying on the vital processes and is known as basal metabolism. 

 It is represented in a man of average weight (about 150 pounds) 

 by about 65 Calories an hour. 



Method of computing energy requirement. The energy re- 

 quirement of a person depends primarily upon his age, size, and 

 activity. This requirement is most easily understood if expressed 

 in Calories per pound per day. The following table shows the 

 variation in the energy requirement of the average healthy child 

 due to age. 



Ages .... 



1 



6 



10 



14 



16-18 



20 



Average Wt. . 



22 lbs. 



44 lbs. 



66 lbs. 



99 lbs. 



100-150 lb?. 



120-160 lbs. 



Calories per lb. 



45 



35 



35 



33 



20-33 



20 



Total Calories 















per day . . 



1000 



1550 



2300 



3300 



2600-4400 



2400-3200 



The above table shows that the small child needs a much larger 

 amount of food in proportion to his weight than the older child 

 or adult. The larger individual needs a larger amount of food 

 than the smaller person, but if the weight is multiplied by the 

 calories per pound, this factor is taken into account. For example, 

 one fourteen-year-old boy may weigh 100 pounds and another 

 140 pounds and both be healthy boys, but the larger boy will 

 need a much larger amount of food. The above requirement 

 will vary also with the activity of the child, the less active one 

 will need less food. The difference in the energy requirement 

 of an adult due to the type of activity is shown in the follow- 

 ing figures : 



Type of Activity 



Average Calories per 

 Pou>~d per Hour 



Sleeping or lying awake . . . 



Sitting 



Typewriting 



Standing 



Walking at moderate rate . . 

 Active exercise 



one half 



two thirds 



nine tenths 



three fourths 



one and one half 



one and three fourths 





