Sources & Disclaimer

Medical Disclaimer

The information provided within this app is not medical advice and should not be used as a substitute for physician consultation, evaluation, or treatment, or relied upon to make medical decisions, diagnose, or treat any health conditions. Always consult a physician before starting any diet or exercise program.

Data Sources and How We Make Recommendations

Calorie & Metabolic Calculations

Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE) are calculated using the Mifflin-St Jeor Equation, which is widely recognized by the medical community for estimating calorie needs.

Source: Mifflin, M. D., St Jeor, S. T., Hill, L. A., Scott, B. J., Daugherty, S. A., & Koh, Y. O. (1990). A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. The American journal of clinical nutrition, 51(2), 241–247. https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/51.2.241

The Harris-Benedict activity factors, used to convert Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) to Total Daily Energy Expenditure (TDEE), are multipliers (e.g., 1.2 for sedentary, 1.375 for lightly active, 1.55 for moderately active) originating from Harris and Benedict's 1919 study.

Source: Harris, J. A., & Benedict, F. G. (1919). A biometric study of basal metabolism in man. Washington D.C.: Carnegie Institute of Washington; Cornell Medicine, 2000. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1091498/

Strategies for Weight Loss

Mantzios, M., & Wilson, J. C. (2014). Making concrete construals mindful: a novel approach for developing mindfulness and self-compassion to assist weight loss. Psychology & health, 29(4), 422–441. https://doi.org/10.1080/08870446.2013.863883

Weight Goal Setting, BMI, and Weight Assessment

Assessing your Weight. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/bmi/index.html
Zierle-Ghosh, A., & Jan, A. (2023). Physiology, Body Mass Index. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing.
Flegal, K. M., Kit, B. K., & Graubard, B. I. (2014). Body mass index categories in observational studies of weight and risk of death. American journal of epidemiology, 180(3), 288–296. https://doi.org/10.1093/aje/kwu111
NHLBI Obesity Education Initiative Expert Panel on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Obesity in Adults (US). Clinical Guidelines on the Identification, Evaluation, and Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults: The Evidence Report. Bethesda (MD): National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; 1998 Sep. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2003/
Frankenfield, D., Roth-Yousey, L., & Compher, C. (2005). Comparison of predictive equations for resting metabolic rate in healthy nonobese and obese adults: a systematic review. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 105(5), 775–789. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jada.2005.02.005

Nutritional Goal Settings & Recommendations

U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. https://www.dietaryguidelines.gov/about-dietary-guidelines/previous-editions/2020-dietary-guidelines
Food and Drug Administration. Part 101 - Food Labeling. Subpart D - Specific Requirements for Nutrient Content Claims. 21 CFR Part 101 Subpart D. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/part-101/subpart-D
Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. National Academies Press, 2005.

Nutritional Data

Food nutrition data (calories, macros, vitamins) is derived from the USDA FoodData Central database and verified estimates for common foods.

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov