A general view of the results obtained by all four of the methods described shows them to be strikingly consistent and leads to the conclusion that the food requirements of a young to middle-aged man of average size, without muscular work, eating a mixed diet sufficient to meet his need, approximates 2000 Calories per day, and that such muscular activity as is incidental to very quiet living indoors may be expected to raise this requirement to about 2200 Calories per day.

Lusk summarizes the mean energy requirement of an average sized man in somewhat more precise terms as follows:

Absolute rest in bed without food.......................................

1680 Calories

Absolute rest in bed with food......

1840 Calories

Rest in bed, 8 hours, sitting in chair 16 hours, with food ...........................................................

2168 Calories

The very close agreement in results reached by many independent investigators, using four distinct methods of study, must be taken as establishing the approximate average food requirement of a man at rest beyond any reasonable doubt.