An assessment of the daily intake of major nutrients among 409 adults (males and females aged between 18-60 years, normal body mass index) residing in four regions in Malaysia was carried out as part of a major study on energy requirement. Subjects from both urban and rural areas completed a 3-day food record during the study. Mean energy intake among the men and women were 9.05 ± 2.21 MJ/day (2163 kcal/day) and 7.19 ± 1.60 MJ/day (1718 kcal/day) respectively, corresponding to 90% of the Malaysian RDA. A mean of 14% of the total energy was derived from protein, 23% from fat and 63% from carbohydrate. Energy intake amongst male subjects in the rural area (8.47 MJ/day, 2024 kcal) was significantly lower than their urban counterparts (9.52 MJ/day, 2275 kcal). There was no difference in mean energy intake in both the urban (7. 19 MJ/day, 1718 kcal) as well as rural women (7.16 MJ/day, 1711 kcal) corresponding to 86% of the RDA. The distribution of nutrients to the total energy intake amongst rural subjects were 13% for protein in both males and females, 65% for carbohydrate in males and 66% in females and 19% for fat in males and 21% for females. In the urban male and female subjects, the distribution of protein, carbohydrate and fat to the total energy intake were 14%, 55% and 29% and 30% respectively. The rural subjects showed a poorer mean intake of vitamins and minerals compared to the urban subjects. The diets of the male subjects in the rural area were deficient, less than two-third RDA in calcium, riboflavin and niacin. Calcium and iron intakes were less than two-third RDA in both the rural as well as the urban women. The rural women also had a poor intake of vitamin A and niacin. Overall, only protein and vitamin C intake met the RDA in most subjects from rural and urban areas.