Determine the Human Energy Requirements?

This unit focuses on the human energy requirements. The nutrient requirement for Indian population, you may recall studying in the last unit, are computed by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and published in its recent "Nutrient Requirements and Recommended Dietary Allowance for 1ndians"(l989 reprinted in 1998). The energy requirements have been computed on the basis of recommendations made by a Joint Expert Consultation of the World Health Organization(WHO)/Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO)/United Nations University (UNU) in 1985 and by all Expert Communities constituted in 1988 by ICMR, These data, of course, have to be continuously updated particularly now in the light of the new Food and Agriculture Organization/ World Health Organization/United Nations University (FAOWHOIUNU) recommendations. A Joint FAO/WHO/UNU Expert Consultation on Human Energy Requirements, convened in October 2001 at FAO headquarters in Rome, Italy has formulated recommendations for human energy requirements published in 2004. The levels of energy intake recommended by this expert consultation are based on estimates of the requirements of healthy, well-nourished individuals. The recommendations that have resulted from this consultation are important guidelines on energy in human nutrition for the academia, scientists, nutritionists, physicians and other health workers, as well as, for planners and policy-makers in both the agriculture and health sectors throughout the world.

The ICMR is in the process of now updating the earlier recommendations. Till such time the new recommendations are published the old recommendations are being followed in our country and have been included in this unit. The new FAO/WHO/ UNU 2004 recommendations for human energy requirements throughout the life cycle are also presented in this unit on the basis of which our new recommendations for energy may be formulated in course of time.