Editorial Policy — Every Number Traces to a Named Source
IOM/NASEM equations and USDA tables in code, re-run against 44 published-value checks at each build. Independent. No paid placement; errors fixed at the root.
Three kinds of content, one sourcing rule
MyPlate.food publishes calculators, recipes, and printables. Each is built from a named public source, and each carries that source where you can see it.
Calculators
The published IOM (2005) and NASEM (2023) DRI energy equations and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025 food-pattern tables, implemented in code and asserted against the published values by automated tests. Every calculator prints its own equation and citation on the page.
Recipes
The preserved USDA MyPlate Kitchen corpus — 1,072 recipes carried over unmodified, each with the per-serving USDA nutrition panel it shipped with. We do not rewrite ingredients or recompute nutrition.
Printables & tables
Cell-for-cell transcriptions of named public-domain publications from USDA, NIH, and the NHLBI — the figures are copied, never adapted. Every sheet names its publication, down to the NIH publication number, on the sheet itself.
The rule behind all three: every number traces to a named public source. No coefficient is invented, rounded off for convenience, or filled in by a model — if it cannot be cited, it does not ship. Food and nutrient values are looked up from USDA data, never generated. The methodology page carries every equation and citation.
How the math is verified
The calculator math is machine-verified on every release. The 44 scenarios below are a fixed set of inputs whose outputs are pinned to a published source — a federal table or equation for the nutrition math, the named peer-reviewed formula or reference standard for the fitness calculators; an automated test re-runs each one against the live calculation code every time the site is built, so this page and the math behind the calculators cannot silently drift apart. Each row lists the exact inputs, the expected result, and the primary source it traces to — open any source and check it yourself.
Numeric verification is separate from clinical review: a nutrition professional's read of a page's wording is credited per page and is a different thing from this numeric verification.
| Scenario | Inputs | Expected result | Primary source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40-year-old active man, 180 cm, 80 kg (IOM 2005) | M · 40 y · 180 cm · 80 kg · active | 3,086 kcal/day | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy — adult-male EER equation (age 19+) |
| 30-year-old sedentary woman, 165 cm, 60 kg (IOM 2005) | F · 30 y · 165 cm · 60 kg · sedentary | 1,906 kcal/day | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy — adult-female EER equation (age 19+) |
| 35-year-old moderately active man, 5 ft 10 in, 170 lb (IOM 2005) | M · 35 y · 5'10" · 170 lb · moderately active | 2,755 kcal/day | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy — adult-male EER equation (age 19+); imperial input converted at 2.54 cm/in, 0.453592 kg/lb |
| 35-year-old moderately active woman, 5 ft 6 in, 140 lb (IOM 2005) | F · 35 y · 5'6" · 140 lb · moderately active | 2,141 kcal/day | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy — adult-female EER equation (age 19+); imperial input converted at 2.54 cm/in, 0.453592 kg/lb |
| 15-year-old active boy, 170 cm, 66 kg (IOM 2005) | M · 15 y · 170 cm · 66 kg · active | 3,340 kcal/day | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy — boys 9–18 EER equation (incl. +25 kcal growth) |
| 2-year-old, 13 kg (weight-only toddler equation) (IOM 2005) | 2 y · 13 kg | 1,077 kcal/day | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy — toddler equation, 13–35 months: 89×W − 100 + 20 |
| 19-year-old sedentary man, 178 cm, 75 kg (IOM 2005) | M · 19 y · 178 cm · 75 kg · sedentary | 2,635 kcal/day | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy — adult-male EER equation (age 19+), first adult-band year |
| 18½-year-old sedentary young man, 178 cm, 70 kg (IOM 2005) | M · 18.5 y · 178 cm · 70 kg · sedentary | 2,445 kcal/day | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy — boys 9–18 EER equation (incl. +25 kcal growth); the 9-through-18 stage runs to the 19th birthday |
| 8½-year-old sedentary girl, 132 cm, 28 kg (IOM 2005) | F · 8.5 y · 132 cm · 28 kg · sedentary | 1,406 kcal/day | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy — girls 3–8 EER equation (incl. +20 kcal growth); the 3-through-8 stage runs to the 9th birthday |
| 18½-year-old active young man, 178 cm, 70 kg (IOM 2005) | M · 18.5 y · 178 cm · 70 kg · active | 3,349 kcal/day | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy — boys 9–18 EER equation with the boys 3–18 PA row (active, 1.26); both the equation and the PA row apply until the 19th birthday |
| 30-year-old sedentary woman, 165 cm, 60 kg, 2nd trimester (+340 kcal) (IOM 2005) | F · 30 y · 165 cm · 60 kg · 2nd trimester | 2,246 kcal/day | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy — adult-female EER + 2nd-trimester pregnancy add (+340 kcal) |
| 30-year-old sedentary woman, 165 cm, 60 kg, lactating 0–6 mo (+330 kcal) (IOM 2005) | F · 30 y · 165 cm · 60 kg · lactation 0–6 mo | 2,236 kcal/day | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy — adult-female EER + lactation add, 0–6 months (+330 kcal) |
| 40-year-old active man, 180 cm, 80 kg (NASEM 2023) | M · 40 y · 180 cm · 80 kg · active | 3,018 kcal/day | NASEM (2023) DRIs for Energy (NBK591021) — adult-male Active regression |
| 22-year-old low-active woman, 165 cm, 63 kg (NASEM 2023) | F · 22 y · 165 cm · 63 kg · low active | 2,275 kcal/day | NASEM (2023) DRIs for Energy (NBK591021) — adult-female Low-active regression (worked example) |
| 30-year-old inactive woman, 165 cm, 60 kg, 2nd trimester — NASEM's own pregnancy regression, not a flat add (NASEM 2023) | F · 30 y · 165 cm · 60 kg · inactive · 2nd trimester | 2,238 kcal/day | NASEM (2023) DRIs for Energy (NBK591021) Table 5-17 — pregnancy Inactive regression, gestation week 20, normal-weight deposition (Table 5-13) |
| 30-year-old inactive woman, 165 cm, 60 kg, lactating 0–6 mo (+540 milk − 140 mobilization) (NASEM 2023) | F · 30 y · 165 cm · 60 kg · inactive · lactation 0–6 mo | 2,421 kcal/day | NASEM (2023) DRIs for Energy (NBK591021) Table 5-18 — adult-female Inactive regression + milk production 540 kcal/d − energy mobilization 140 kcal/d |
| 70-year-old inactive woman, 157 cm, 70 kg (NASEM 2023) | F · 70 y · 157 cm · 70 kg · inactive | 1,812 kcal/day | NASEM (2023) DRIs for Energy (NBK591021) — adult-female Inactive regression (worked example) |
| 15-year-old active boy, 170 cm, 66 kg (NASEM 2023) | M · 15 y · 170 cm · 66 kg · active | 3,190 kcal/day | NASEM (2023) DRIs for Energy (NBK591021) — boys 3–18 Active regression (incl. +20 growth) |
| 10-year-old low-active girl, 138 cm, 32 kg (NASEM 2023) | F · 10 y · 138 cm · 32 kg · low active | 1,744 kcal/day | NASEM (2023) DRIs for Energy (NBK591021) — girls 3–18 Low-active regression (incl. +30 growth) |
| 2-year-old boy, 98 cm, 15.5 kg (NASEM 2023) | M · 2 y · 98 cm · 15.5 kg | 1,281 kcal/day | NASEM (2023) DRIs for Energy (NBK591021) — boys 1–<3 regression (incl. +20 growth) |
| Adult, 178 cm, 81.65 kg → BMI 25.8 | 178 cm · 81.65 kg | 25.8 · Overweight | WHO adult BMI cutoffs (underweight <18.5, normal <25, overweight <30, obese ≥30) |
| 10-year-old boy at BMI 21.7 → ~94th percentile | M · 10 y · 138 cm · BMI 21.7 | 21.7 · Overweight | CDC 2000 BMI-for-age growth charts (LMS reference); ≥85th percentile = overweight |
| BMI 24: normal under WHO, overweight under the Asia-Pacific/KSSO scheme | BMI 24.0 | WHO: normal · Asia-Pacific: overweight | WHO Asia-Pacific / Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO) BMI cutoffs (overweight ≥23, obese ≥25) |
| Iron RDA for women 31–50 | F · 40 y | 18 mg | IOM (2006) DRIs: The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements — iron RDA |
| Iron RDA drops for women 51+ | F · 60 y | 8 mg | IOM (2006) DRIs: The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements — iron RDA |
| Calcium RDA for women 31–50 | F · 40 y | 1,000 mg | IOM (2011) DRIs for Calcium and Vitamin D — calcium RDA |
| Protein RDA for men 19–30 | M · 25 y | 56 g | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy, …, Protein and Amino Acids — protein RDA |
| Protein RDA rises in pregnancy | F · 25 y · 2nd trimester | 71 g | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy, …, Protein and Amino Acids — pregnancy protein RDA |
| Vitamin C RDA for men 19–30 | M · 25 y | 90 mg | IOM (2006) DRIs: The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements — vitamin C RDA |
| Vitamin D RDA for adults (rises to 20 mcg at 71+) | M · 25 y | 15 mcg | IOM (2011) DRIs for Calcium and Vitamin D — vitamin D RDA |
| Folate RDA in pregnancy (400 base → 600) | F · 25 y · 2nd trimester | 600 mcg | IOM (2006) DRIs: The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements — folate RDA (DFE) |
| Sodium AI with a Chronic Disease Risk Reduction limit (not a UL) | M · 25 y | 1,500 mg (AI) · CDRR 2,300 mg | NASEM (2019) DRIs for Sodium and Potassium — sodium AI 1,500 mg + CDRR 2,300 mg |
| Potassium AI for men 19–30 | M · 25 y | 3,400 mg | NASEM (2019) DRIs for Sodium and Potassium — potassium AI |
| Total fiber AI for men under 51 | M · 25 y | 38 g | IOM (2005) DRIs for Energy, …, Fiber — total-fiber AI (14 g / 1,000 kcal) |
| Healthy U.S.-Style daily amounts at 2,000 kcal | 2,000 kcal · U.S.-Style | Fruits 2 c · Vegetables 2.5 c · Grains 6 oz-eq · Protein 5.5 oz-eq · Dairy 3 c · Oils 27 g | Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025, Appendix 3 — Healthy U.S.-Style Pattern |
| Healthy U.S.-Style daily amounts at 1,600 kcal | 1,600 kcal · U.S.-Style | Fruits 1.5 c · Vegetables 2 c · Grains 5 oz-eq · Protein 5 oz-eq · Dairy 3 c · Oils 22 g | Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025, Appendix 3 — Healthy U.S.-Style Pattern |
| Healthy Mediterranean-Style daily amounts at 2,000 kcal (more fruit + protein, less dairy) | 2,000 kcal · Mediterranean | Fruits 2.5 c · Vegetables 2.5 c · Grains 6 oz-eq · Protein 6.5 oz-eq · Dairy 2 c · Oils 27 g | Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020–2025, Appendix 3, Table A3-5 — Healthy Mediterranean-Style Pattern |
| Resting metabolic rate, 35-year-old man, 5 ft 10 in, 170 lb | M · 35 y · 5'10" · 170 lb | 1,712 kcal/day | Mifflin MD & St Jeor ST et al. (1990), Am J Clin Nutr — resting energy expenditure |
| U.S. Navy body-fat %, man 178 cm/81.65 kg, neck 40, waist 90 | M · 178 cm · 81.65 kg · neck 40 · waist 90 | 18.7% | U.S. Navy circumference method (Hodgdon & Beckett, 1984) |
| Lean body mass (Boer), man 80 kg / 180 cm | M · 80 kg · 180 cm | 61.4 kg | Boer P (1984), Am J Physiol 247(4):F632–F636 — lean-body-mass equation |
| Protein RDA floor (0.8 g/kg) for an 80 kg adult | 80 kg · age 40 | 64 g/day | IOM/NASEM DRI (2005) — protein RDA 0.8 g/kg reference body weight |
| Daily fluid target, 70 kg, moderately active (rule-of-thumb estimate) | 70 kg · moderately active | 2.5 liters/day | ≈35 mL/kg/day clinical fluid estimate (IOM 2005 total-water AI as reference) |
| Waist-to-height ratio, 80 cm waist / 180 cm height | waist 80 cm · height 180 cm | 0.44 · Healthy | Ashwell M & Hsieh SD (2005) — waist-to-height ratio (keep waist under half your height) |
| One-rep-max (Epley), 100 kg lifted for 5 reps | 100 kg × 5 reps | 117 kg | Epley B (1985) — one-repetition-maximum estimation formula |
Reproduce these yourself: every scenario is a fixture in src/lib/calculations/verification-scenarios.ts, asserted against the live engines by tests/client/verification-scenarios.test.ts. See the methodology for every equation and citation.
Five languages, with every figure machine-checked
MyPlate.food publishes in English, Spanish, Korean, French, and German. Non-English pages are AI-assisted translations run through automated structural and number-drift checks: every figure, unit, and section has to survive translation unchanged or the build fails. English is the reference edition — if a translated page and the English page ever disagree on a number, the English one is correct.
Report an error and we fix it at the source
Email hello@myplate.food with the page and the number you are questioning — no form, no account. We check it against the primary source: the equation, the federal table, or the USDA record it came from, not against our own page. A real error is fixed site-wide in the shared data or calculation module, so every page, locale, printable, and API response moves at once rather than one page getting patched. The change is dated, and when the underlying guidelines themselves move, that is tracked publicly in Guideline Watch.
What we don't do
- No medical advice. The calculators are educational estimates for healthy people; they do not diagnose, treat, or stand in for a clinician.
- No paid placement in health content. No advertiser, sponsor, or affiliate partner can influence a number, a recommendation, or the order of anything on this site.
- No blurring of ads into content. Display ads are served by a third-party network and labelled as advertising; affiliate links are marked rel="sponsored" and carry a disclosure next to the link.
- Neither one runs at school. The printables, quizzes, worksheets, and teacher pages load with no ad stack and no session replay.
Independent, and precise about attribution
MyPlate.food is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the USDA or any federal agency. Federal sources are credited where their data actually appears — in provenance lines, source notes on printables, citations under equations, and disclaimers. That is the only place a credit belongs. We use public-domain federal data because it is the best data available and it is meant to be used; we do not borrow a government seal to vouch for our work.