Calculating Recommended Fat Intake

Calcula ng Recommended
BOX Fat Intake
The recommended range for dietary fat is 25% to
35% of total calories each day. Here is howthe nurse
can calculate that range for a client:
1. Multiply the daily calorie needs by 25% to 35%
(or 0.25 to 0.35) 7 aily calories from fat.
2. Divide daily calories from fat by 9 kcal/gm = daily
grams of fat.
3. To calculate recommended saturated fat limits,
use less than 10‘": of total calories in place of the
25% to 35% range and follow step 2.
Here is an example: Winfred knows his daily
caloric needs from using an on-line caiculatorthat
estimates energy needs. He is trying to trim down
his saturated fat intake to reduce his risk of heart
disease but does not know where to begin. He asks
the nurse how to figure his recommended saturated
fat intake.
1. Winfred needs 2,000 kcalories/day X 0.25
— 0.35 = 500 to 700 kcalories/day from fat
2. 500 to 700 kcalories/day + 9 kcalories/gm
= 55 to 78 gm of total fat/day
3. 2,000 kcalorie/day X 10% (or 0.10) = less than
200 kcalories/day from saturated fat maximum
4. 200 kcalories/day + 9 kcalories/gm = less than
22 gm saturated faUday
I it is more important that Winfred
concentrate on saturated fat intake than
total fat for hean disease risk. What
guidance can the nurse give about how
to find this information on food labels?