How Much a Person Should Eat Daily?

The funny answer is that as much as you can. Practically it is a very difficult question to answer. In the great Hindu epic the Mahabharata, Kunti, mother of fivePandavas, would divide the food her five sons brought by begging in the streets of Ekachakra city, into two equal portions. One half would go to Bhima and other half would be given to four Pandavas – Yudhishthira, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva and their mother Kunti.  She knew that Bhima, being born of the Wind god had great strength and a mighty appetite.

In modern era, there are many Takeru Kobayashilike eaters, who have set many world records for their resounding appetite and eating heavy quantities of hot dogs, meatballs, Twinkies, tacos, hamburgers, pizza, ice cream and pasta etc within few minutes.

There are a group of people, who want to consume more but their per capita income does not allow them to consume more. There are other group of people, who consume less and prefer to stay on dieting, even though they can afford to consume whatever they like. It is quite paradoxical.

The bottom line is that there is enough for everyone's need but not for everyone's greed.  Again the question resurfaces – how much food a person should eat daily? Obviously it varies from person to person. It depends upon a several factors like height, age, gender, health status, job profile and medical history etc.  How much food relates to your daily calorie intake requirement - consume more each day than you use up and you will usually put on weight, consume less and the opposite will happen.

According to World Health Organization, the exact make-up of a diversified, balanced and healthy diet will vary depending on individual needs (e.g. age, gender, lifestyle, degree of physical activity), cultural context, locally available foods and dietary customs. But basic principles of what constitute a healthy diet remain the same.

 For adults

A healthy diet contains:

Fruits, vegetables, legumes (e.g. lentils, beans), nuts and whole grains (e.g. unprocessed maize, millet, oats, wheat, brown rice).

At least 400 g (5 portions) of fruits and vegetables a day (2). Potatoes, sweet potatoes, cassava and other starchy roots are not classified as fruits or vegetables.

 Less than 10% of total energy intake from free sugars (2, 5) which is equivalent to 50 g (or around 12 level teaspoons) for a person of healthy body weight consuming approximately 2000 calories per day, but ideally less than 5% of total energy intake for additional health benefits (5). Most free sugars are added to foods or drinks by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, and can also be found in sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates.

Less than 30% of total energy intake from fats (1, 2, 3). Unsaturated fats (e.g. found in fish, avocado, nuts, sunflower, canola and olive oils) are preferable to saturated fats (e.g. found in fatty meat, butter, palm and coconut oil, cream, cheese, ghee and lard) (3). Industrial trans fats (found in processed food, fast food, snack food, fried food, frozen pizza, pies, cookies, margarines and spreads) are not part of a healthy diet.

 Less than 5 g of salt (equivalent to approximately 1 teaspoon) per day (6) and use iodized salt.

For infants and young children

In the first 2 years of a child’s life, optimal nutrition fosters healthy growth and improves cognitive development. It also reduces the risk of becoming overweight or obese and developing NCDs later in life.

Advice on a healthy diet for infants and children is similar to that for adults, but the following elements are also important.

Infants should be breastfed exclusively during the first 6 months of life.

Infants should be breastfed continuously until 2 years of age and beyond.

From 6 months of age, breast milk should be complemented with a variety of adequate, safe and nutrient dense complementary foods. Salt and sugars should not be added to complementary foods.