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Short answer
For a 28-year-old woman of 65 kg and 165 cm, Mifflin-St Jeor gives 1,380 kcal and revised Harris-Benedict about 1,439. Mifflin-St Jeor is generally preferred for most adults, but results can differ by 100 kcal or more.
1. The formulas
- Mifflin-St Jeor (1990): men 10W + 6.25H − 5A + 5; women 10W + 6.25H − 5A − 161.
- Revised Harris-Benedict (Roza and Shizgal, 1984): men 88.362 + 13.397W + 4.799H − 5.677A; women 447.593 + 9.247W + 3.098H − 4.330A.
W in kg, H in cm, A in years.
2. Side by side (age 30)
| Weight | Man: Mifflin (178 cm) | Man: Harris-Benedict | Woman: Mifflin (165 cm) | Woman: Harris-Benedict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 55 kg | 1,518 | 1,509 | 1,270 | 1,337 |
| 65 kg | 1,618 | 1,643 | 1,370 | 1,430 |
| 75 kg | 1,718 | 1,777 | 1,470 | 1,522 |
| 85 kg | 1,818 | 1,911 | 1,570 | 1,615 |
| 95 kg | 1,918 | 2,045 | 1,670 | 1,707 |
3. Which to use
- Mifflin-St Jeor is generally considered more accurate for most adults and is the usual default.
- Harris-Benedict is older; in the table above it gives higher results for women at every weight and for men above about 60 kg.
- If you know your body-fat percentage, lean-mass formulas such as Katch-McArdle (370 + 21.6 × lean mass in kg) can suit muscular people better.
The BMR Calculator shows all four at once. See Mifflin-St Jeor explained.
4. Frequently asked questions
Which BMR formula is the most accurate?expand_more
Mifflin-St Jeor is generally considered the better choice for most adults, though none predicts every individual.
Why do the formulas give different answers?expand_more
They use different coefficients fitted to different populations and eras.
How different are they?expand_more
In the table they differ by about 10 to 130 kcal a day depending on weight and sex.
What if I know my body fat?expand_more
Katch-McArdle and Cunningham use lean mass and can fit muscular people better.