How is Basal Metabolic Rate Calculated

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BMR Calculator

Multiply lbs by 0.453592 to get kg
Multiply inches by 2.54 to get cm
Your Basal Metabolic Rate
0 kcal / day
Daily Calorie Needs based on Activity:
Sedentary (Little or no exercise)
0 kcal
Lightly Active (Exercise 1-3 times/week)
0 kcal
Moderately Active (Exercise 3-5 times/week)
0 kcal
Very Active (Intense exercise 6-7 times/week)
0 kcal
function calculateBMR() { // Get input values var age = parseFloat(document.getElementById('age').value); var weight = parseFloat(document.getElementById('weight').value); var height = parseFloat(document.getElementById('height').value); var genderMale = document.getElementById('genderMale').checked; var resultBox = document.getElementById('bmr-result'); // Validation if (isNaN(age) || isNaN(weight) || isNaN(height) || age <= 0 || weight <= 0 || height <= 0) { alert("Please enter valid positive numbers for Age, Weight, and Height."); return; } // Mifflin-St Jeor Equation // Men: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) + 5 // Women: (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) – 161 var bmr = 0; var baseCalculation = (10 * weight) + (6.25 * height) – (5 * age); if (genderMale) { bmr = baseCalculation + 5; } else { bmr = baseCalculation – 161; } // Round BMR to nearest whole number bmr = Math.round(bmr); // Display BMR document.getElementById('bmrValue').innerText = bmr; // Calculate TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) // Sedentary: BMR * 1.2 // Lightly active: BMR * 1.375 // Moderately active: BMR * 1.55 // Very active: BMR * 1.725 document.getElementById('tdeeSedentary').innerText = Math.round(bmr * 1.2); document.getElementById('tdeeLight').innerText = Math.round(bmr * 1.375); document.getElementById('tdeeModerate').innerText = Math.round(bmr * 1.55); document.getElementById('tdeeVery').innerText = Math.round(bmr * 1.725); // Show result box resultBox.style.display = 'block'; }

How Is Basal Metabolic Rate Calculated?

Understanding your Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is the foundation of any scientifically driven nutrition plan. Whether your goal is weight loss, muscle gain, or weight maintenance, calculating your BMR helps you determine the baseline number of calories your body requires just to exist.

What is Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)?

Basal Metabolic Rate is the number of calories your body burns while it is completely at rest. Imagine you stayed in bed all day without moving; your BMR is the energy required to keep your heart beating, your lungs breathing, your brain functioning, and your body temperature regulated. It accounts for approximately 60% to 75% of the total calories you burn every day.

The Calculation Methods

Over the years, scientists have developed several formulas to estimate BMR. The most commonly used and currently accepted as the most accurate standard is the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation.

1. The Mifflin-St Jeor Equation

Introduced in 1990, this formula is considered more accurate than its predecessors for modern lifestyles. The calculation differs slightly for men and women due to differences in lean body mass.

For Men:
BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) + 5
For Women:
BMR = (10 × weight in kg) + (6.25 × height in cm) – (5 × age in years) – 161

2. The Harris-Benedict Equation

Original revised in 1984, this was the standard for many years. While still widely used, it tends to over-estimate BMR slightly in individuals with a higher body fat percentage.

Example Calculation

Let's look at how the calculation works for a specific example using the Mifflin-St Jeor equation:

  • Profile: A 35-year-old female
  • Weight: 68 kg
  • Height: 165 cm

Step 1: Calculate weight component: 10 × 68 = 680

Step 2: Calculate height component: 6.25 × 165 = 1,031.25

Step 3: Calculate age component: 5 × 35 = 175

Step 4: Apply the formula:

(680 + 1,031.25 – 175) – 161 = 1,375.25

This individual has a BMR of approximately 1,375 calories per day.

Factors Influencing BMR

While the formulas provide a solid estimate, your actual metabolic rate is influenced by several biological factors:

  • Muscle Mass: Muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue. Individuals with higher muscle mass have a higher BMR.
  • Age: Metabolism naturally slows down as you age, largely due to a loss of muscle mass and hormonal changes.
  • Gender: Men typically have less body fat and more muscle mass than women of the same age and weight, resulting in a higher BMR.
  • Genetics: Your genetic makeup plays a significant role in your baseline metabolic speed.

From BMR to TDEE

Calculating BMR is just the first step. To determine how many calories you need to eat to maintain your current weight, you must calculate your Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE). This is done by multiplying your BMR by an activity factor ranging from 1.2 (sedentary) to 1.9 (extremely active).

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