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Harris-Benedict BMR Calculator

Calculate basal metabolic rate (BMR) and TDEE using the Harris-Benedict equation, an alternate formula to Mifflin-St Jeor.

Unit System:
Basal Metabolic Rate (Harris-Benedict)
1,707 kcal/day
Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE)
2,347 kcal/day
Compare to the Mifflin-St Jeor BMR (1,659 kcal/day) on the BMR & TDEE tab — the two formulas typically agree within a few percent.
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Calculation Guide & Reference

Harris-Benedict Basal Metabolic Rate Mathematics

Harris-Benedict BMR calculator computes basal metabolic rate and TDEE using the revised Harris-Benedict equation, an alternate formula to Mifflin-St Jeor.

Standardized Mathematical Formula
Men: BMR = 88.362 + 13.397w + 4.799h − 5.677a | Women: BMR = 447.593 + 9.247w + 3.098h − 4.330a

The Harris-Benedict equation (revised 1984) estimates basal metabolic rate from weight, height, and age, with separate coefficients for men and women. It predates the now more commonly recommended Mifflin-St Jeor equation but remains widely referenced and produces very similar results for most people.

Variables:
w:Weight, in kilograms
h:Height, in centimeters
a:Age, in years
How It Works (Step-by-Step)
  • 1Enter your sex, weight, height, and age.
  • 2View your BMR and TDEE (BMR × activity multiplier) using the Harris-Benedict formula.
Real-World Numerical Example
A 30-Year-Old Male, 80kg, 180cm

A 30-year-old man weighs 80 kg and is 180 cm tall.

•BMR = 88.362 + (13.397×80) + (4.799×180) − (5.677×30)
•= 88.362 + 1,071.76 + 863.82 − 170.31 ≈ 1,853.6 kcal/day.
Result: His estimated basal metabolic rate is approximately 1,854 calories per day.
Calculation Best Practices & Tips
Use BMR and TDEE as personalized baselines, then adjust caloric intake by 300-500 kcal/day for sustainable weight management.
Remember that standard BMI does not distinguish between muscle mass and fat mass; athletic individuals should also track body fat percentage and waist-to-height ratios.
Maintain adequate hydration: base intake should generally be 30-35 ml per kilogram of body weight, increasing during intensive exercise.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Modern research generally favors Mifflin-St Jeor as marginally more accurate for today's population, but the difference between the two formulas is usually small (a few percent) for most people at a healthy weight.

Men and women have different average proportions of lean muscle mass to fat mass at the same weight and height, and muscle burns more calories at rest than fat — the sex-specific coefficients account for this average physiological difference.

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