Is it true that men need to consume more calories than women?

"Humans burn calories to fuel everything from movement to sleeping. For the general adult population aged from about 19 to 64, guidance puts daily energy needs at about 2,000 calories for women and 2,500 for men (the requirements are very different in children and adolescents, and tend to fall with age: they decline between 65 and 74, and drop again after 75). But averages hide a lot of variation."

"One of the main reasons men typically need more calories is that they usually have a higher resting (or basal) metabolic rate, meaning they burn more energy at rest. This is largely explained by differences in body composition on average, men have more lean muscle mass, while women tend to have a higher proportion of body fat and muscle burns more calories than fat."

Humans burn calories to power movement, bodily functions and sleep. Typical daily energy guidance for adults aged roughly 19–64 is about 2,000 calories for women and 2,500 for men, with requirements changing in children, adolescents and older adults and declining after about 65 and again after 75. Men often require more calories because of higher resting metabolic rates driven by greater average lean muscle mass, while women tend to have proportionally more body fat. Hormonal differences, especially higher testosterone in men, promote muscle growth. Individual factors, muscle mass, exercise level and long-term dieting can substantially alter calorie needs.

Read at www.theguardian.com