needsfood

Needsfood is a term used in informal nutrition discourse and in some computational models to denote the minimum amount of food necessary to meet an organism's energy and nutrient requirements in order to sustain health and metabolic processes. It is not an established term in formal nutrition literature, but it is commonly used to illustrate dietary adequacy and to drive algorithmic meal-planning tools.

Definition and scope: Needsfood typically includes energy needs (calories or joules) and essential nutrients such as protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and water. The precise quantities depend on factors such as age, sex, body size, activity level, health status, and life stage. In practice, needsfood serves as a target for daily intake in dietary assessments and planning.

Measurement and modeling: In nutrition science, official targets are provided by dietary reference intakes and estimated energy requirements. In apps and models, needsfood may be represented as a vector or set of thresholds against which actual intake is compared to assess adequacy and to generate recommendations. The concept supports education about energy balance and nutrient sufficiency.

Limitations and diversity: There is substantial individual variability, and needs can change with illness, pregnancy, or environmental conditions. Self-reported intake is prone to error, and needsfood-based targets should be used alongside professional guidance and validated guidelines.

See also: Diet, Nutrition, Energy balance, Dietary reference intake, Hunger.