Question

The recommended estimated energy requirement (EER) for the sedentary elderly woman weighing 55kg is ______ Kcal.

• A. 1700
• B. 1660
• C. 1500
• D. 1350

Hint:

Always distinguish between adult women (19-59 years) and elderly women (60+ years) in RDA/EAR questions.
The energy requirement for adult sedentary women is 1660 kcal, while for elderly sedentary women it is 1500 kcal.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Dietary standards and Estimated Average Requirements (EAR) for energy are regularly updated by national scientific bodies.
In India, the Indian Council of Medical Research - National Institute of Nutrition (ICMR-NIN, 2020) provides these updated guidelines.
Energy requirements decline with advancing age due to a decrease in basal metabolic rate (BMR) and reduced physical activity.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
According to the ICMR-NIN (2020) nutrient guidelines:
The reference body weight for an adult Indian female is defined as 55 kg.
The energy requirements of women are categorized by their physical activity levels: sedentary, moderate, and heavy.
For a sedentary adult woman (aged 19–59 years) weighing 55 kg, the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) for energy is 1660 kcal/day.
However, for an elderly woman (aged 60 years and above) who is sedentary, the energy requirement is adjusted downward.
This adjustment reflects the age-related reduction in lean body mass and physical activity.
The ICMR-NIN (2020) guidelines recommend an Estimated Average Requirement of exactly 1500 kcal/day for a sedentary elderly woman.
This represents a decrease of 160 kcal/day compared to her younger, sedentary counterpart.
Therefore, the correct recommended energy value is 1500 Kcal.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The recommended estimated energy requirement for a sedentary elderly woman weighing 55 kg is 1500 Kcal.