Adults in all body mass index categories underestimate daily energy requirements.

Objective: To compare the difference between self-reported and calculated daily energy requirements of adults within different body mass index (BMI) categories.

Methods: Adults (n = 978) self-reported daily energy requirements, demographic information, and height, weight, age, and physical activity level (PAL) to calculate total energy expenditure.

Results: The main effects of BMI, gender, PAL, and dieting status on the difference between self-reported and calculated energy requirements for weight maintenance were significant (P < .