Ideal calorie intake is based on your activity level, gender, age, and other factors. Many people with type 2 diabetes also face weight-loss challenges; since reducing calorie intake is one component of an effective weight-reduction program, it is an important consideration in dietary management of diabetes.

It's More Than Just the Calories

If you are overweight and have type 2 diabetes, keep in mind that even modest weight loss can decrease insulin resistance and improve control. But calorie reduction alone rarely leads to long-term weight control.

The ADA suggests a comprehensive approach of reduced calories (500 to 1,000 fewer than the USDA guidelines listed for weight maintenance), regular exercise, reduced fat intake (no more than 30 percent of daily calories from fat), and diabetes and weight management education for long-term success. In their 2008 Clinical Nutrition Recommendations, the ADA also recognized the utility of low-carbohydrate diets in weight loss.

The nutrient balance in the food your calories come from is also important. The ADA suggests that 15 to 20 percent of your caloric intake should be protein, while no more than 7 percent of total calories should come from saturated fat.

Estimated Daily Calorie Intake

The following are estimated amounts of daily calorie intake based on gender, age, and activity levels from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's “Dietary Guidelines for Americans.” These general guidelines are for weight maintenance, not weight loss.

These levels are based on Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) from the Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes macronutrients report, 2002, calculated by gender, age, and activity level for reference-sized individuals. “Reference size,” as determined by IOM, is based on median height and weight for ages up to age 18 years of age and median height and weight for that height to give a BMI of 21.5 for adult females and 22.5 for adult males. The estimates are rounded to the nearest 200 calories.