VIGORBUDDY.COM | Estimate Energy Requirement for infants and children | Estimate Energy requirement expresses the energy required to balanced the energy of a specific body. The energy required by a body is necessary to be identified as it expresses the efficiency of growth. Talking about the EER of children, it informs the requirement of energy that is needed to balance the energy expended.
The energy required for children comes in two mechanisms
- Energy used to blend the tissues
- Energy used in those tissues
The calculation for Energy requirement was introduced by the Institute of Medicine while it performs through WHO reference values. Estimate Energy requirement for infants and children is comparatively different from adults. This is because infants and children require more and different energy for growth. EER depends on the following factors:
- Age
- Weight
- Gender
- Height
- Level of Physical Activity
Infants and children have different values for the above data hence making dissimilarity between EER for adults and children.
Importance of Estimate Energy Requirement (EER)
EER is very important especially for the children because it identifies the difference, the energy gain and energy expenditure.
Before understanding the Estimate Energy Requirement of the children, you need to differentiate between ‘Physical Activity Coefficients (PA) and ‘Physical Activity Levels (PAL).
In the calculation of EER through the equation, Physical Activity Coefficients (PA) is termed for physical activity levels whereas the Physical Activity Level (PAL) is the ratio of energy expended to basal energy expenditure.
Estimate Energy Requirement is very important for all the ages. We have summarized below factors as the importance of EER:
- Physical Activities/ Workout:
The professional workout is possible after assuming your energy level. Your efforts may be denied if your workout is lesser or greater. Having a balanced physical activity will bounce more benefits than having unstable physical activities.
Through EER, you can check about the amount of Physical activity require. Remember, if you are less energetic and gives more level to workout then you might get fitness problems.
- Nutrients
Everybody needs to know the amount of energy to be consumed to maintain their body and fitness. At least, you should have got a minimum level of energy according to your body. Taking the energy less than the required energy level would create weakness for your body.
Knowing energy levels and requirements would help you in getting a balanced diet. The majority of the nutritionist provides the diet plan according to your energy level and requirement.
How to calculate Estimate Energy Requirement?
There are two major ways to determine your energy requirement. Below is the way of measuring EER:
- Manual calculation
The calculation of EER manually is not a big task but you need to know some values. These values vary from gender, age, and weight. Then you should use the following formula to express your result:
EER (kcal/day) = Total Energy Expenditure + Energy Deposition
Total Energy Expenditure: The amount of energy burned by a human body in an entire day. It is adjusted to the amount of activity. Moreover, it also includes 30% of basal energy expenditure.
Energy Deposition: It’s a specific number that is allotted according to age and gender. Like if there is a boy of 3-8 then the Energy deposition is 20 whereas the girl age 9-18 would have the deposition of 25.
- Calculation Through online tools
Calculating EER manually can make confusion. However, so the best practice is calculate EER online. Various online tools are providing quick calculations over the Estimate Energy requirement.
These tools require age, weight, gender, height, and level of physical activities. These tools also define the selection of physical activity levels. You can easily enter your data and within the moment, you would get your result.
Online are far better in the sense of calculation as it provides more accurate value. You can use the calculator tool like calculators.tech that accurately checks your EER. It gives multiple measuring unit options.
Factors that affect energy requirement
Two different individuals of the same gender, age, and weight may not have the same Energy requirement. This is because both individuals may have variations in physical activity.
One can be a healthy person and requires more energy while the other one may be a fit person. However, below are some of the more factors affecting the EER:
- Body Structure and Size
Body size and its weight is a major factor in the variation of energy expenditure. Moreover, it also depends upon the figure of the body.
The person with higher fat will need more energy as it expands more energy linked to certain activities.
The ratio of fat-free mass is an important factor in knowing the amount of energy expended. It falls under the fasting Metabolic rate and resting metabolic rate.
Study shows that expending low energy is a risk point for those who are gaining weight in some cases. In a general view, obesity is a multi-dependent problem.
- Physical Activity
The energy expenditure during physical activity is termed as the largest part of the effects of activity on overall energy expenditure.
The physical activities also cause energy expenditure in the after-activity period. This depends upon the intensity, duration, level of hydration, and temperature of the environment during and after the activity. However, this expenditure may last for the next 24 hours.
- Growth
Talking on account of children, the energy requirement is linked with the amount of deposition of tissues. The cost of energy growth as a percentage of total energy requirement changes from 35% to 3% in just the first 1year of birth.
Conclusion
The energy requirement is important for the body as it is required to tolerate the body’s function including metabolism, physical work, protein synthesis, blood circulation, and respiration system.
A person’s current energy level is indicated by measuring energy intake and total energy expenditure. The above formula or calculator can easily indicate the energy required for a body.
Unbalanced energy intakes or expenditures always cause the body to gain or lose fat and other components. These gains can disturb the fitness of the body.
In children, EER depends upon the level of growth, deposition of tissues, and the emission of milk at a consistent rate with good health.