Last updated: May 10, 2026

Notice & Sources

Health notice

nærwert is an information and tracking tool — not a medical device within the meaning of Regulation (EU) 2017/745 (MDR). The app does not replace medical, nutritional or dietetic advice.

Consult qualified professionals before making changes to your diet or exercise — in particular if you have pre-existing conditions, are pregnant or breastfeeding, are still growing, take medication, or suspect an eating disorder.

If you notice signs of an eating disorder, contact the free BZgA helpline at bzga-essstoerungen.de or call +49 221 892031. In the UK, contact Beat Eating Disorders (0808 801 0677); in the US, the National Eating Disorders Association (988 or text NEDA to 741741).

Who nærwert is for

nærwert is intended for healthy adults aged 16 and over who want to track their nutrition — for weight management, sport or general awareness. The app provides estimates only; it does not diagnose, treat or recommend a clinical diet.

How nærwert calculates — and which sources we cite

Basal metabolic rate (BMR)

nærwert uses the Mifflin-St. Jeor equation (1990), considered one of the most accurate predictive equations for healthy adults in current guidelines:

  • Men: BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × yr) + 5
  • Women: BMR = (10 × kg) + (6.25 × cm) − (5 × yr) − 161

Source: Mifflin MD, St Jeor ST, Hill LA, Scott BJ, Daugherty SA, Koh YO. A new predictive equation for resting energy expenditure in healthy individuals. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990;51(2):241–7.

Total daily energy expenditure (TDEE) and activity multipliers

TDEE is computed as BMR × PAL ("Physical Activity Level"). The factors used follow the DGE reference values and FAO/WHO/UNU 2004:

  • Sedentary (little or no exercise): 1.2
  • Lightly active (1–3 sessions / week): 1.375
  • Moderately active (3–5 sessions / week): 1.55
  • Very active (6–7 sessions / week): 1.725
  • Extra active (physical job + daily training): 1.9

Sources: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Ernährung (DGE), Austrian Nutrition Society (ÖGE), Swiss Nutrition Society (SGE): Reference Values for Nutrient Intake, current edition, "Energy" chapter — dge.de/wissenschaft/referenzwerte. FAO/WHO/UNU: Human energy requirements, Report of a Joint FAO/WHO/UNU Expert Consultation, Rome 2004 — fao.org/4/y5686e.

Deficit / surplus for weight goals

nærwert uses a simplified energy equivalent of about 7,700 kcal per kg of body weight, i.e. roughly 750 kcal per day to target 1 kg per week. This is a rule of thumb: actual change deviates due to fluid balance, adaptive metabolism, NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) and individual variation. For safety, nærwert caps the daily target at a minimum of 1,200 kcal.

Source (critique of the "3,500 kcal rule"): Hall KD, Sacks G, Chandramohan D, et al. Quantification of the effect of energy imbalance on bodyweight. Lancet. 2011;378(9793):826–37 — doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60812-X.

Macronutrient split

The default macro recommendations follow international reference values:

  • Protein: ≥ 0.8 g/kg body weight for healthy adults (DGE), higher for athletes or weight loss.
  • Carbohydrates: > 50 % of energy intake, focus on complex carbs; free sugars < 10 % E (WHO).
  • Fat: ~ 30 % of energy intake; saturated fatty acids < 10 % E (WHO/EFSA).

Sources: DGE reference values (above). World Health Organization: Healthy diet — Fact sheet — who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/healthy-diet. European Food Safety Authority (EFSA): Dietary Reference Values for nutrients — efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/dietary-reference-values.

Energy per gram of macronutrient (Atwater factors)

  • Protein: 4 kcal/g
  • Carbohydrates: 4 kcal/g
  • Fat: 9 kcal/g
  • Alcohol: 7 kcal/g

Source: FAO: Food energy — methods of analysis and conversion factors, FAO Food and Nutrition Paper 77, Rome 2003 — fao.org/4/y5022e.

MET values (workout calorie estimates)

When you log a workout by duration, nærwert estimates the calories burned using metabolic equivalents (MET × body weight × time). MET values are taken from the 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities. You can also enter a calorie value directly instead.

Source: Ainsworth BE, Haskell WL, Herrmann SD, et al. 2011 Compendium of Physical Activities: a second update of codes and MET values. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011;43(8):1575–81 — PubMed 21681120.

Food database

The food database draws on public and commercial sources:

  • Open Food Facts — collaborative open database, licensed under ODbL — openfoodfacts.org.
  • Bundeslebensmittelschlüssel (BLS) — Max Rubner-Institut — blsdb.de.
  • Brand and manufacturer information for individual products and restaurant chains.

We curate carefully but make no guarantee as to completeness or accuracy. Always check safety-relevant information (allergens, nutrition values for specialised diets) on the original label.

Further official information

Help with eating disorders

BZgA helpline (Germany): +49 221 892031
Online: bzga-essstoerungen.de
UK — Beat Eating Disorders: 0808 801 0677 — beateatingdisorders.org.uk
US — NEDA: text "NEDA" to 741741 — nationaleatingdisorders.org