Fat Intake Calculator
Calculate your daily fat intake needs based on your body composition and activity level
Fat Intake Calculator
Calculate your daily fat intake recommendations based on your personal metrics and activity level. This calculator provides guidelines for healthy fat consumption including saturated fat limits.
📊 Personal Information
📈 Fat Intake Results
| Goal | Daily Calories | Fat Allowance (20-35%) | Saturated Fat (10%) | Heart Health (7%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight Maintenance | 2,207 Calories | 50 - 88 grams | <25 grams | <18 grams |
| Lose 0.5 kg/week | 1,707 Calories | 39 - 68 grams | <19 grams | <14 grams |
| Lose 1 kg/week | 1,207 Calories | 27 - 48 grams | <14 grams | <10 grams |
| Gain 0.5 kg/week | 2,707 Calories | 62 - 108 grams | <31 grams | <22 grams |
| Gain 1 kg/week | 3,207 Calories | 73 - 128 grams | <36 grams | <26 grams |
Activity Level Guidelines
- Exercise: 15-30 minutes of elevated heart rate activity.
- Intense exercise: 45-120 minutes of elevated heart rate activity.
- Very intense exercise: 2+ hours of elevated heart rate activity.
📚 Understanding Dietary Fat
Different Types of Fat
Fat, along with carbohydrates and proteins, is one of three macronutrients that provide the energy necessary for a person's metabolic system to function, and can be acquired through consuming various foods. There are numerous types of dietary fat, including saturated fat, trans fat, monounsaturated fat, polyunsaturated fat, and omega-3 fatty acids.
While dietary fat is essential to proper body function, excess dietary fat leads to weight gain, and excess weight is linked to poor health outcomes.
Daily Fat Intake Guidelines
Generally, some fat intake, particularly intake of unsaturated fats, can have beneficial effects on the human body. Children especially need some fat in their diets to be healthy. However, any type of fat, including these healthier dietary fats, can have negative effects when consumed in excess.
Fat Intake by Age
- 2-3 years: 30% to 40% of Total Calories
- 4-18 years: 25% to 35% of Total Calories
- 19+ years: 20% to 35% of Total Calories
Unhealthy Dietary Fat
Saturated Fat
Saturated fat is mostly found in sources of food derived from animals; red meat, poultry, and dairy products. Saturated fat raises the levels of "bad" low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterols, and can increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.
Trans Fat
Trans fat is commonly regarded as the "worst" type of dietary fat, are not essential, and have no known benefits to human health. Trans fats increase the risk of coronary artery disease by increasing LDL cholesterols while decreasing "good" HDL cholesterols.
Healthier Dietary Fat
Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat are two types of unsaturated fat that are typically found in a variety of foods and oils. Studies have shown that both of these types of unsaturated fat, in small amounts, can help reduce LDL cholesterol, while potentially increasing HDL cholesterol levels in the bloodstream.
Recommendations
- • Consume less than 10% of daily calories as saturated fats
- • Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats if possible
- • Minimize consumption of trans fats
- • Consume less than 300 mg of dietary cholesterol daily