Health calculators

DRI Calculator

Updated Sep 26, 2026 By Infinity Calculator
Rate Formulas Sources Medical disclaimer
Unit System
Choose your measurement units
All inputs and results update instantly in the selected system.
About You
Biological Sex
Used to select the correct DRI reference tables.
years
Whole numbers only. Use Months (0–23) for infants and toddlers.
Height
Inches must be 0–11.
lb
Enter your body weight in the selected unit.
Adjusts the daily calorie target only. Vitamin, mineral and macronutrient targets are unchanged.
Physical Activity Level (PAL)
The physical activity level categories used in this calculator do not correspond to standard physical activity guidelines for health. They are used solely to calculate daily energy requirements.

Your Dietary Reference Intakes

DRI life stage: —
Daily Calorie Target
—
kcal/day
BMI (informational)
—
—
Ideal Weight (informational)
—
—
Input Summary
Values you entered, used to generate the results below.
ItemValue
Energy — Estimated Energy Requirement (EER)
Estimated Energy Requirement derived from the DRI energy equations for your life stage.
ComponentValueNotes
Step-by-Step Solution
Estimated Calorie Distribution
Macronutrients & Water
Daily macronutrient targets. Values marked AI are Adequate Intakes; all others are RDAs.
NutrientRecommended Amount / Day% of Total Calories (AMDR)
RDA = Recommended Dietary Allowance. AI = Adequate Intake (used when no RDA is established). "—" means no AMDR applies to that nutrient.
Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR)
Percentage-of-energy ranges only. Gram amounts are shown in the macronutrient table above.
MacronutrientRange (% of total calories)Visual range (0–100%)
Micronutrients
Units differ by row. Each nutrient is shown in the unit listed beside its name (mg, mcg, or g). Do not compare amounts across rows without checking the unit first.
Vitamins — recommended and maximum daily intakes for your DRI life stage.
NutrientRecommended Intake / DayMaximum Intake / Day
Minerals — recommended and maximum daily intakes for your DRI life stage.
NutrientRecommended Intake / DayMaximum Intake / Day
Recommended Intake shows the RDA where one exists, otherwise the AI (labelled in each cell). Maximum Intake shows the UL, or the CDRR where that applies instead, or ND when neither has been determined.

Introduction

This DRI calculator shows how much of each nutrient you need each day. DRI stands for Dietary Reference Intakes. These are the daily nutrition targets set by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.1

Enter your sex, age, height, weight, and activity level. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, you can add that too. The calculator then finds your DRI life stage group and shows your daily targets.

Your results include:

  • Calories: your Estimated Energy Requirement (EER), adjusted for your goal to lose, gain, or keep your weight
  • Macronutrients: protein, fat, carbs, fiber, and water
  • AMDR: the percent of calories that should come from fat, carbs, and protein
  • Vitamins and minerals: the amount you need and the safe upper limit for each one

You also get a step-by-step solution, so you can see the math behind every number. Use pounds and feet, or switch to kilograms and centimeters at any time.

These numbers are a guide for healthy people. They are not medical advice. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before making big changes to your diet.

How to use our DRI Calculator

Enter a few basic details about your body, your stage of life, and how active you are. The DRI calculator then shows your daily calorie target, protein, fat, carb, fiber and water needs, plus recommended and maximum amounts for 29 vitamins and minerals.

Unit System: Pick Imperial (pounds, feet and inches) or Metric (kilograms and centimeters). Your numbers convert on their own when you switch.

Biological Sex: Choose Male or Female. Nutrient needs differ, so this picks the right DRI table.

Age: Type your age as a whole number. Use Years for ages 2 and up. Switch to Months for babies and toddlers under 2 (0 to 23 months).

Height: Enter feet and inches, or centimeters if you chose Metric. Inches must be 0 to 11.

Current Weight: Enter how much you weigh right now in pounds or kilograms. If you are pregnant, still use your current weight here.

Health Goal: Choose Maintain Weight, Lose Weight (−500 calories) or Gain Weight (+350 calories). This changes your calorie target only. Vitamin and mineral targets stay the same.

Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Status: Female users pick one option: not pregnant or breastfeeding, pregnant, breastfeeding 0 to 6 months, or breastfeeding 7 to 12 months. Pregnancy and nursing raise many nutrient needs.

Weeks Pregnant: If you chose Pregnant, enter 1 to 40 weeks. This sets your trimester and adds the right extra calories.

Pre-Pregnancy Weight: If you chose Pregnant, enter what you weighed before pregnancy. The DRI energy equation uses this number, not your current weight.

Physical Activity Level (PAL): Pick Inactive, Low Active, Active or Very Active based on how much you move each day. This is skipped for children under 3 years.

Click Calculate to see your results, step-by-step math and a calorie chart. Click Reset to start over.

What Are Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)?

Dietary Reference Intakes, or DRIs, are daily nutrient targets set by the National Academies for the United States and Canada. They tell you how much of each vitamin, mineral, and macronutrient most healthy people need each day, and how much is too much. Doctors, dietitians, and food labels all use these numbers as a guide.

The Four Main Types of DRI Values

  • RDA (Recommended Dietary Allowance): The daily amount that meets the needs of almost all healthy people (about 97% to 98%) in your age and sex group.1 This is the number to aim for.
  • AI (Adequate Intake): Used when there isn't enough research to set an RDA.1 It is a best estimate based on what healthy people normally eat.
  • UL (Tolerable Upper Intake Level): The most you can take in each day without a likely risk of harm. Going over the UL often (usually from supplements, not food) can cause problems.
  • EAR (Estimated Average Requirement): The amount that meets the needs of half the people in a group.1 Scientists use it to build the RDA.

Energy Needs and the EER

The Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) is the number of calories you need each day to keep your weight steady. It is figured out using your age, sex, height, weight, and how active you are. Taller, heavier, younger, and more active people burn more calories. Pregnancy and breastfeeding add extra calories on top, because your body is building a baby or making milk.

Macronutrient Ranges (AMDR)

The Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range shows what share of your daily calories should come from each macronutrient. For most adults, that means 45% to 65% from carbohydrates, 20% to 35% from fat, and 10% to 35% from protein.1 Staying in these ranges lowers the risk of long-term disease while still giving you enough of each nutrient. Children and teens have slightly different ranges, with 30% to 40% of energy from fat for children aged 1 to 3.1

Why Life Stage Matters

DRIs are grouped by life stage: infants, children, teens, adults, older adults, and people who are pregnant or breastfeeding. Needs change a lot over a lifetime. Teens aged 9 to 18 need 1,300 mg of calcium a day, compared with 1,000 mg for adults aged 19 to 50.1 Women aged 19 to 50 need 18 mg of iron a day, compared with 8 mg for men.1 Adults over 70 need 20 mcg of vitamin D instead of 15.1 Pregnancy raises folate to 600 mcg, iron to 27 mg, and iodine to 220 mcg a day.1

Reading the Numbers the Right Way

Nutrients use different units: milligrams (mg), micrograms (mcg), and grams (g). A number like 900 mcg is much smaller than 900 mg, so always check the unit before comparing. DRIs are also built for healthy people. If you have a health condition, take medicine, or follow a special diet, your needs may be different. Talk to a doctor or registered dietitian before making big changes or starting supplements.

Food First

Most people can hit their DRI targets by eating a mix of vegetables, fruit, whole grains, beans, nuts, lean protein, and dairy or fortified alternatives. Whole foods bring fiber and other helpful compounds that pills don't have. Supplements are useful to fill real gaps, but they're also the easiest way to accidentally go over the UL.

Formulas used

Estimated Energy Requirement — Adult Men (19+ years)
EER = 662 - 9.53 \times \text{age} + PA \times (15.91 \times \text{weight}_{kg} + 539.6 \times \text{height}_{m})
Estimated Energy Requirement — Adult Women (19+ years)
EER = 354 - 6.91 \times \text{age} + PA \times (9.36 \times \text{weight}_{kg} + 726 \times \text{height}_{m})
Estimated Energy Requirement — Boys 3–18 years
EER = 88.5 - 61.9 \times \text{age} + PA \times (26.7 \times \text{weight}_{kg} + 903 \times \text{height}_{m}) + \text{Dep}
Estimated Energy Requirement — Girls 3–18 years
EER = 135.3 - 30.8 \times \text{age} + PA \times (10.0 \times \text{weight}_{kg} + 934 \times \text{height}_{m}) + \text{Dep}
Estimated Energy Requirement — Infants and Toddlers (0–35 months)
EER = (89 \times \text{weight}_{kg} - 100) + \text{Dep}
Adjusted Daily Calorie Target
\text{Target} = \max\left(EER + \text{Life-stage kcal} + \text{Goal adjustment},\ \text{Calorie floor}\right)
Daily Protein Requirement
\text{Protein}_{g} = \text{g/kg factor} \times \text{weight}_{kg}
Body Mass Index
BMI = \frac{\text{weight}_{kg}}{(\text{height}_{m})^2}

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between DRI values and the % Daily Value on food labels?

DRIs are a set of targets that change with your age, sex, and life stage. The % Daily Value (%DV) on a food label is one single number picked for the whole population, based on a 2,000 calorie diet.2

That means %DV is a quick shopping guide, not a personal goal. A 5% DV or less is low for a nutrient and 20% or more is high.2 Your own DRI may be higher or lower than the label number, especially if you are pregnant, a teen, or over 70.

Is the Estimated Energy Requirement the same as BMR or TDEE?

No. BMR (basal metabolic rate) is only the energy you burn at complete rest. TDEE is everything you burn in a day, including movement and digestion.

The EER is closest to TDEE. It is the number of calories you need to hold your weight steady at your current age, height, weight, and activity level. It already includes your activity, so you do not add exercise calories on top.

How much protein do I need each day?

The RDA for healthy adults is based on 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight.1 For a 70 kg (154 lb) adult that is about 56 grams a day.

The daily RDAs for other groups are 19 g for children aged 4 to 8, 52 g for boys and 46 g for girls aged 14 to 18, and 71 g in pregnancy and while breastfeeding.1

This is the minimum to stay healthy. Athletes and older adults often do better with more.

How many extra calories do you need during pregnancy?

This calculator adds nothing in the first trimester, 340 calories a day in the second trimester, and 452 calories a day in the third. MedlinePlus puts the extra need at about 300 calories a day.4

That is roughly a sandwich and a glass of milk, not a second meal. Eating for two does not mean eating twice as much food.4

How many extra calories do you need while breastfeeding?

For the first 6 months this calculator adds 330 calories a day: about 500 for making milk, minus 170 for normal weight loss after birth. From 7 to 12 months it adds 400 calories a day.

The CDC recommends an extra 330 to 400 calories a day for well-nourished breastfeeding mothers.5

What happens if you go over the Tolerable Upper Intake Level?

Going over the UL now and then is usually not a problem. Going over it every day raises the risk of harm.

Examples: too much vitamin A can damage the liver and harm a baby in pregnancy. Too much iron causes stomach pain and can be deadly for small children. Too much niacin causes flushing. Too much vitamin D can raise blood calcium.

Almost all ULs are passed through supplements and fortified foods, not regular meals.

What do mcg RAE, mcg DFE, and mg NE mean?

These units adjust for how well your body uses different forms of a nutrient.

  • mcg RAE (retinol activity equivalents), used for vitamin A. 1 mcg RAE equals 1 mcg of retinol or 12 mcg of beta-carotene.1
  • mcg DFE (dietary folate equivalents), used for folate. Folic acid is absorbed better than folate in food: 1 mcg DFE equals 1 mcg of food folate or 0.6 mcg of folic acid taken with food.1
  • mg NE (niacin equivalents), used for niacin. Your body can make niacin from the amino acid tryptophan: 1 mg of niacin equals 60 mg of tryptophan.1

What is a CDRR and why does sodium have one instead of an upper limit?

CDRR stands for Chronic Disease Risk Reduction intake. It was set for sodium in the 2019 sodium and potassium report.1 Diets higher in sodium raise the risk of high blood pressure, a major cause of stroke and heart disease.3

For adults the CDRR is to reduce intake if it is above 2,300 mg a day.1 Americans eat about 3,400 mg a day on average, and over 70% of it comes from packaged and prepared foods.3

How much fiber should I eat a day?

The Adequate Intake is 38 grams a day for men and 25 grams a day for women aged 19 to 50.1

On average, Americans eat about 16 grams of fiber a day.6 Beans, whole grains, fruit with the skin, vegetables, and nuts are the easiest ways to close the gap. Add fiber slowly and drink more water to avoid gas and bloating.

Does the daily water recommendation include water from food?

Yes. The AI of 3.7 liters a day for men and 2.7 liters a day for women is total water from all sources.1

That total counts water from food as well as all drinks, including milk, coffee, and tea.7 If you drink when you feel thirsty and have drinks with meals, you should get enough.7

Why is the carbohydrate RDA only 130 grams a day?

The carbohydrate RDA for adults is 130 grams a day.1 It is a floor, not a goal.

Most people eat more than that, and the AMDR puts carbs at 45% to 65% of calories.1 On a 2,000 calorie diet that is 225 to 325 grams.

Which nutrients do people most often fall short on?

In the US and Canada, the most common shortfalls are:

  • Fiber (most people fall well short)
  • Calcium (especially teen girls and older women)
  • Vitamin D (hard to get from food alone)
  • Potassium (linked to low fruit and vegetable intake)
  • Iron (for girls and women who have periods)
  • Vitamin B12 (for adults over 50 and people who avoid animal foods)

How do nutrient needs change after age 50?

Several targets go up as you get older:

  • Vitamin D rises from 15 mcg to 20 mcg after age 70.1
  • Calcium rises to 1,200 mg for women from 51 and for men after 70.1
  • Vitamin B6 rises from 1.3 mg to 1.7 mg for men and 1.5 mg for women from 51.1
  • Vitamin B12 stays at 2.4 mcg, but because 10 to 30 percent of older people may not absorb B12 from food well, people over 50 should get most of it from fortified food or a supplement.1

Calorie needs usually drop, so food choices need to be more nutrient-dense.

Do vegetarians and vegans need more iron than the RDA?

Yes. Vegetarians who do not eat meat, poultry, or seafood need almost twice as much iron, because the body does not absorb the iron in plant foods as well.8

For a woman aged 19 to 50, whose RDA is 18 mg, that means close to twice as much.1 Eating vitamin C foods like peppers, citrus, or tomatoes with iron-rich beans, lentils, tofu, and greens boosts absorption. Tea and coffee with meals lower it.

How much weight will a 500 calorie daily deficit take off?

About 1 pound a week by the old rule that a pound of body fat holds about 3,500 calories. That rule fits people with more than 30 kg of body fat and overstates the deficit leaner people need.10

Loss usually slows over time, because a smaller body burns fewer calories. This calculator will not set a target below 1,200 calories a day for women or 1,500 for men. Federal obesity guidance describes supervised low-calorie diets of 1,000 to 1,200 calories a day for most women and 1,200 to 1,600 for men.9

What does physical activity level (PAL) actually mean?

PAL is a ratio: your total daily energy use divided by the energy you would burn just lying still. A PAL of 1.4 means you burn 40% more than your resting rate.

The DRI uses four groups:

  • Inactive (daily living only, no planned exercise)
  • Low Active (some daily walking on top of daily living)
  • Active (a good deal of daily walking or exercise)
  • Very Active (a lot of daily activity)

These labels are only for figuring out calories. They are not the same as public health exercise advice.

Why do pregnancy calorie equations use pre-pregnancy weight?

Because the extra weight of pregnancy is mostly the baby, placenta, fluid, and blood, not working body tissue that burns calories the same way.

The equation starts with the calories your body needed before pregnancy, then adds a set amount for the trimester. Using current weight would double-count the pregnancy gain and give a calorie target that is too high.

Are DRI values the same in Canada and the United States?

Yes. DRIs are set jointly by scientists from both countries through the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, with support from Health Canada and US federal agencies.

The nutrient numbers are identical. Food labels differ a little, and some fortification rules are not the same, but the underlying RDAs, AIs, and ULs are shared.

Sources

  1. Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs): Summary Tables. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Food and Nutrition Board. Accessed September 26, 2026.
  2. How to Understand and Use the Nutrition Facts Label. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Accessed September 26, 2026.
  3. Sodium in Your Diet. U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Accessed September 26, 2026.
  4. Eating right during pregnancy. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Accessed September 26, 2026.
  5. Maternal Diet. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed September 26, 2026.
  6. Fiber. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Accessed September 26, 2026.
  7. Water in diet. MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine. Accessed September 26, 2026.
  8. Iron: Fact Sheet for Consumers. Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Accessed September 26, 2026.
  9. The Practical Guide: Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. 2000;NIH Publication No. 00-4084. Accessed September 26, 2026.
  10. Hall KD. What is the required energy deficit per unit weight loss? International Journal of Obesity. 2008;32(3):573-576. doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803720. Accessed September 26, 2026.

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