At Fast-Food Outlets: Premature Sticker Shock for the Weight Conscious - New York Times

“Every single person has different caloric needs,” said Rebecca Solomon, the nutrition coordinator of the Program for Surgical Weight Loss at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. “Just because you know the Rice Krispie treat is 430 calories doesn’t mean you have an understanding of how that fits into your caloric requirements.” She estimated that an “average-size person”— someone who weighs about 150 pounds — would need 1,700 to about 2,050 calories for “weight maintenance.” That would mean the person would neither gain nor lose weight. A more detailed analysis would take into account other factors, including whether the person exercised. She said that calories alone “don’t tell you about nutritional content.” But the basic calculations are revealing.