Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. Chapter 3 Nutrition 83 Factors That Infl uence Your Calorie Needs. The number of calories you need to take in each day depends on different factors, including age, gender, height, weight, and level of physical activity (Figure 3.10). For example, older people typically don’t need to consume as many calories as younger people, men have greater calorie needs than women, and people who are physically active burn more calories than those who are less active. Shift to Nutrient-Dense Foods Calorie balance is only part of the equation. A healthy diet requires that the foods you choose are nutrient dense. The Dietary Guidelines defi fines foods nutrient-dense f as foods that provide vitamins, minerals, and other substances that contribute to adequate nutrient intakes or may have positive health effects, with little or no solid fats and added sugars, refi starches, and sodium. fined In addition to focusing on nutrient-dense foods, you should also avoid or limit intake of foods that contain solid fats, added sugars, refi grains, and sodium. fined Consider the following examples of ways to consume approximately 100 calories: • A medium-sized apple contains about 100 calo- ries. These calories mostly come from naturally occurring sugars in the apple. In addition to calories, the apple supplies your body with fiber, fi vitamins, and minerals. • An 8-ounce glass of a sugary soda (about two- thirds of a can) also contains about 100 calories. These calories come from the added sugars in this drink—there are 10 teaspoons of sugar in a 12-ounce can of soda. However, there is little to no nutrient value in this soda. Your body benefi more in terms of nutrients when you eat an apple fits than when you drink a soda, even though both choices provide 100 calories. Avoid “Empty Calories.” The added sugars and solid fats found in some foods are called “empty calories.” These sugars and fats are called empty calories because they supply few, if any, nutrients to a person’s diet. Calories from added sugars and solid fats contribute up to 40% of daily calories for children and teenagers (2 to 18 years of age). Approximately half of those calories come from six sources: soda, fruit drinks, dairy des- serts (such as cheesecake or ice cream), grain desserts (such as cookies or cake), pizza (with meat), and whole milk. The most common pizza choices and whole milk supply needed nutri- ents such as calcium and vitamins, but they also contain many “empty cal- ories” from solid fats. More nutrient-dense options are veggie pizza with whole-grain crust and nonfat milk. Figure 3.10 Recommended Daily Calorie Intake Male/ Moderately Active Female/ Moderately Active Age Calories 10 1,800 1,800 11 2,000 1,800 12 2,200 2,000 13 2,200 2,000 14 2,400 2,000 15 2,600 2,000 16 2,800 2,000 17 2,800 2,000 18 2,800 2,000 19–20 2,800 2,200 21–25 2,800 2,200 26–30 2,600 2,000 31–35 2,600 2,000 36–40 2,600 2,000 41–45 2,600 2,000 46–50 2,400 2,000 51–55 2,400 1,800 56–60 2,400 1,800 61–65 2,400 1,800 nutrient-dense food a relatively low-calorie food that provides vitamins, minerals, and other healthful substances