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EER Calculator

Health

Calculate your Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) using the IOM equation based on age, sex, weight, height, and physical activity level instantly.

Reviewed by the thecalcu.com team · Last updated August 1, 2026

Gender
Age
yrs
1980
Weight
kg
30200
Height
cm
100250
Physical Activity Level (PAL)

Estimated Energy Requirement

0
EER (kJ/day)
0

What is a EER?

The EER Calculator estimates your Estimated Energy Requirement, the average daily calorie intake predicted to maintain energy balance for someone of your age, sex, weight, height, and physical activity level. Developed by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2005 as part of the official Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) framework, the EER equation was derived from doubly labeled water studies, a precise real-world measurement method for total energy expenditure, distinguishing it from BMR-based formulas like Harris-Benedict or Mifflin-St Jeor.

This calculator applies the IOM's adult (19+) EER equations, which use a Physical Activity Level (PAL) coefficient rather than a simple activity multiplier. For a full picture of your daily nutrition needs, pair your EER result with the DRI Calculator for specific protein, fiber, and micronutrient targets, or the Calorie Deficit Calculator to plan a weight loss pace.

Why Use an EER Calculator?

The EER equation is the specific formula referenced in official US and Canadian Dietary Reference Intake guidance, making it a useful reference point when you want a calorie estimate grounded in the same methodology used by public health nutrition standards. Its foundation in doubly labeled water research also gives it strong scientific credibility compared to some older predictive equations.

It's particularly useful for cross-checking calorie estimates: run your numbers here and compare against the TDEE Calculator or Harris-Benedict Calculator, if the results are close, you can be more confident in your calorie target; if they diverge significantly, it may be worth reviewing your activity level selection.

Who Should Use This Calculator?

  • Anyone wanting a calorie estimate aligned with official IOM Dietary Reference Intake guidance, the same framework used in many public health nutrition standards.
  • People cross-checking calorie estimates across multiple formulas to build more confidence in their target before starting a diet plan.
  • Nutrition students and professionals studying how the EER equation differs methodologically from BMR-based TDEE formulas.
  • Anyone building a complete nutrition plan who wants to pair calorie needs here with specific nutrient targets from the DRI Calculator.
  • People planning a structured weight change who want an EER-based maintenance baseline before applying a deficit or surplus.

What Insights Does the EER Calculator Give You?

  • Estimated Energy Requirement, the primary result, your predicted daily calorie need in kcal to maintain your current weight given your activity level.
  • EER (kJ/day), the same figure converted to kilojoules, useful for nutrition labeling contexts that use kilojoules rather than kilocalories.

Use your EER as a maintenance calorie baseline: for weight loss, aim for roughly 500 kcal below this figure; for weight gain, aim for roughly 500 kcal above it, adjusting based on your actual measured progress over several weeks.

How to use this EER calculator

  1. Select your Gender, Male or Female, since the IOM equations use different coefficients for each.
  2. Enter your Age in years (19 and older, matching the adult EER equation range).
  3. Enter your Weight in kilograms.
  4. Enter your Height in centimeters.
  5. Choose your Physical Activity Level (PAL) from the four options, each described with an equivalent daily walking distance to help you select accurately.
  6. Review your Estimated Energy Requirement result in kcal/day, along with the kilojoule conversion.
  7. Use this figure as your maintenance calorie baseline for weight management or nutrition planning.
Show formula & methodology ↓Show less ↑

Formula & Methodology

The IOM (2005) adult EER equations differ by sex, using weight in kilograms and height in meters:

Men:   EER = 662 − (9.53 × age) + PAL × [(15.91 × weight in kg) + (539.6 × height in m)] Women: EER = 354 − (6.91 × age) + PAL × [(9.36 × weight in kg) + (726 × height in m)]

PAL coefficients used in this calculator (adult midpoint values):

| PAL Category | Male PAL | Female PAL |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary | 1.00 | 1.00 |
| Low Active | 1.11 | 1.12 |
| Active | 1.25 | 1.27 |
| Very Active | 1.48 | 1.45 |

Worked example: A low-active 30-year-old man weighing 70 kg and 170 cm (1.70 m) tall has an EER of 662 − (9.53 × 30) + 1.11 × [(15.91 × 70) + (539.6 × 1.70)] = 662 − 285.9 + 1.11 × [1,113.7 + 917.3] ≈ 2,632 kcal/day, or approximately 11,013 kJ/day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does EER stand for?
EER stands for Estimated Energy Requirement, the average daily calorie intake predicted to maintain energy balance in a healthy adult of a defined age, sex, weight, height, and physical activity level. It was developed by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) in 2005 as part of the Dietary Reference Intake framework.
How is the EER equation different from Harris-Benedict or Mifflin-St Jeor?
The EER equation was derived from doubly labeled water studies, a highly accurate method for measuring real-world total energy expenditure, while Harris-Benedict and Mifflin-St Jeor were built primarily from indirect calorimetry measurements of resting metabolism alone. EER also uses a Physical Activity Level (PAL) coefficient rather than a simple activity multiplier, reflecting a somewhat different research methodology.
What is a Physical Activity Level (PAL)?
PAL is a ratio of your total energy expenditure to your basal metabolic rate, used in the EER equation to scale your calorie needs based on daily activity. A PAL of 1.0 represents a completely sedentary lifestyle, while higher PAL values represent increasing levels of daily physical activity, similar in concept to (but numerically distinct from) the activity multipliers used in other TDEE formulas.
Which PAL category should I choose?
Choose Sedentary if your day involves only typical daily-living activities with no purposeful exercise, Low Active if you're roughly equivalent to walking 2 miles a day, Active if you're equivalent to walking about 7 miles a day, and Very Active if you're equivalent to walking about 17 miles a day. Most people with a regular exercise routine but a desk job fall into the Low Active or Active categories.
Does the EER equation apply to children as well as adults?
The IOM published separate EER equations for different age groups, including infants, children, and adolescents, each with its own formula. This calculator specifically implements the adult (19+) equations, since those differ substantially from the pediatric versions.
How accurate is the EER equation compared to other formulas?
Because the EER equation was derived from doubly labeled water data, considered a gold-standard measurement method, many researchers consider it among the more robust population-level predictive equations available. Like all predictive formulas, though, it still represents a population average and can differ from any individual's true energy needs by several hundred calories.
What is the difference between EER and TDEE?
EER and TDEE both aim to estimate total daily calorie needs including activity, but they come from different research methodologies and equations, EER from the IOM's doubly labeled water-based formula, and TDEE typically from BMR formulas like Mifflin-St Jeor multiplied by an activity factor. The two will usually produce similar, though not identical, results for the same person.
Can I use my EER result to plan weight loss or gain?
Yes, treat your EER as your maintenance calorie level, then subtract roughly 500 kcal/day for a moderate weight loss pace or add roughly 500 kcal/day for weight gain. Pairing this with the [Calorie Deficit Calculator](/calorie-deficit-calculator/) can help project the resulting weekly and monthly weight change.
Why does this calculator use metric units?
The IOM's original EER equations were published using metric units, kilograms for weight and meters for height, so this calculator uses the same units to preserve accuracy. Convert pounds to kilograms by dividing by 2.205, and inches to meters by multiplying by 0.0254, if needed.
How does EER relate to DRI nutrient targets?
EER estimates your total daily calorie need, which is one part of the broader Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) framework that also includes specific nutrient targets for protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Use the [DRI Calculator](/dri-calculator/) alongside this tool for a fuller picture of both your calorie and nutrient needs.
Also known as
estimated energy requirementEER calculatorIOM energy equationdaily energy requirement calculatorenergy needs calculator