---
title: "Calorie Calculator — BMR & TDEE (Mifflin-St Jeor, Harris-Benedict, Schofield)"
description: "Calculate your daily calorie needs using three international formulas. Compare Mifflin-St Jeor (US standard), Harris-Benedict, and Schofield (UK NHS/WHO). Free, no ads."
url: "https://worldcalculators.org/calculators/calorie/"
canonical: "https://worldcalculators.org/calculators/calorie/"
---

# Calorie Calculator

Calculate your daily calorie needs using three international formulas. Compare Mifflin-St Jeor (US standard), Harris-Benedict, and Schofield (UK NHS/WHO). Free, no ads.

## Quick answer

Use this for an adult BMR and TDEE estimate . Skip it if you are under 18, pregnant, or in clinical care. Average adult needs ~2,000–2,500 kcal/day (NHS/CDC population figures). TDEE = BMR × 1.2–1.9. 1 kg body fat ≈ 7,700 kcal. US dietitians prefer Mifflin-St Jeor; the NHS/WHO often use Schofield.

## Which calorie formula should you use?

All three equations estimate your BMR from the same inputs (age, weight, height, sex), but were derived from different population studies:

## What activity multiplier should I use?

The Harris-Benedict activity multipliers are widely used internationally, though some countries prefer slightly different breakdowns. The UK NHS often uses a simplified 3-level classification for clinical settings.

## How many calories should I eat to lose or gain weight?

1 kg of body fat ≈ 7,700 calories. To lose 0.5 kg/week, eat 550 cal/day below TDEE. Most health bodies (NHS, CDC, WHO) recommend not going below 1,200 kcal/day (women) or 1,500 kcal/day (men) without medical supervision.

## Sources & Methodology

Daily calorie needs use the Mifflin–St Jeor basal metabolic rate multiplied by an activity factor. Targets reference the USDA Dietary Guidelines (US) and NHS guidance (UK).

Source: https://worldcalculators.org/calculators/calorie/
Markdown mirror of the HTML page. Prefer this URL for RAG; the interactive calculator still lives on the HTML page.