Basal metabolic rate accounts for roughly 60 to 70 percent of the calories an adult burns each day.

Is it true that basal metabolic rate accounts for roughly 60 to 70 percent of the calories an adult burns each day?

Yes. A Cleveland Clinic reference page and a peer-reviewed comparative physiology paper both state that basal metabolic rate accounts for 60-70% of daily energy expenditure in humans, matching the claim; two other sources give slightly wider ranges (60-75% and 50-70%).

Verdict: SUPPORTED · 4 sources for, 0 against · Last checked 3 Oct 2026

The private library was unavailable for some searches in this check. Missing library results are not evidence against the claim.

BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate): What It Is & How To Calculate It. (n.d.). my.clevelandclinic.org. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/basal-metabolic-rate-bmr

Is it true that "carbohydrates are of no use for the basal metabolic need"?. (2019). skeptics.stackexchange.com. https://skeptics.stackexchange.com/questions/43820/is-it-true-that-carbohydrates-are-of-no-use-for-the-basal-metabolic-need

Are basal metabolic rate prediction equations appropriate for female children and adolescents?. (1996). doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1152/jappl.1996.81.6.2407

Significance of variation in basal metabolic rate in laboratory mice for translational experiments. (2021). doi.org. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-021-01410-9