Background: Adequate dietary intake in alignment with the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) is a fundamental prerequisite for sustaining physiological health, work capacity, and long-term well-being across diverse population groups.

Objective: The present study aimed to assess and compare macronutrient intake specifically energy, protein, and fat with ICMR-NIN RDA benchmarks among individuals following sedentary, moderate, and heavy physical activity lifestyles in Hyderabad, Telangana.

Methodology: A community-based cross-sectional study design was employed, with a total of 150 participants aged 18–55 years, equally stratified into three groups of 50 individuals each, based on self-reported and occupation-linked physical activity levels. Dietary assessment was conducted using the 24-hour dietary recall method, supplemented by anthropometric measurements including height, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI). Statistical analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and one-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to evaluate differences between actual nutrient intake and RDA requirements across lifestyle categories

Results: The findings revealed that energy and protein intakes were consistently below RDA across all three lifestyle groups, with the most severe deficit observed among heavily active individuals where mean energy intake represented less than 40% of the recommended level. Fat intake, conversely, exceeded RDA thresholds in all groups, irrespective of activity level. Overweight was the most prevalent BMI category across all three groups. ANOVA confirmed statistically significant inter-group differences in energy (F = 15.56, p < 0.001), protein (F = 18.49, p < 0.001), and fat intake (F = 10.37, p = 0.019).