Resting Metabolic Rate (Schofield) Calculator

About this calculator

The Schofield equation, published in 1985, is one of the most widely used formulas for estimating resting metabolic rate (RMR) — the calories your body burns at complete rest just to keep basic functions like breathing, circulation, and cell repair running. It was adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO), the FAO, and the UNU as their reference method for setting human energy requirement guidelines.

Unlike formulas that use height and weight together, Schofield's equations are weight-based only, with different linear coefficients depending on age bracket (e.g., 18-30, 30-60, 60+) and sex, reflecting that RMR per kilogram of body weight changes across the lifespan and differs between men and women due to differences in average lean mass.

Dietitians, particularly in the UK and across Europe where Schofield has historically been preferred over alternatives like Harris-Benedict or Mifflin-St Jeor, use this RMR estimate as the baseline energy number before applying a physical activity level (PAL) multiplier to arrive at total daily energy expenditure and set a calorie target for weight maintenance, loss, or gain.