Dietary Reference

Intakes

By Jennifer Turley

and Joan Thompson

© 2013 Cengage

Presentation Overview

• Defining DRIs• Looking at nutrients with DRIs• Understanding how DRIs are used

What are DRIs?

• Standards to guide safe & adequate intakes of essential nutrients for healthy humans.– Sick individuals have different needs.

• The year 2001, 2002, 2004 revision values were designed to promote optimal function & health for healthy people.

• Are specific for groups of people based on: life stage, gender, conditions of pregnancy & lactation.

• Are adequate for moderately active people.

How are DRIs established?• By scientific

committee literature review.

• Nutrients are given an Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), Adequate Intake (AI), or Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) value by life stage & gender.

RDA: level to meet 97-98% of needs AI: average or mean intake level. EAR: average daily nutrient intake

level estimated to meet the requirement of half the needs.

Other DRI Components

• Tolerable upper intake levels (UL) for vitamins & minerals.– Highest intake level likely to pose no risk of

adverse health effects.• Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges

(AMDR) for energy producing nutrients & essential fatty acids.– % Calorie range.

• Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) for Calories.

• DRI for physical activity.

DRIs Exist For:

• Vitamins: – A, D, E, K, B1 (thiamin), B2

(riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6, B12, folate, vitamin C

– biotin, pantothenic acid, choline

• Minerals: – Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Zn, I, Se– Cu, Mn, Cr, Mo, F – Na, K, Cl

• Water: – Men ≥19 years: 3.7 L/day

(approx. 15 cups)– Women ≥ 19 years : 2.7 L/day

(approx. 11 cups)

DRI for Protein

• The adult DRI for protein is set at 0.8 grams/Kg. This level is for inactive persons.

• See appendix for gram/Kg need for infants, children, and adolescents.

• Although not DRIs: Active persons need more than the DRI, approximately 1.2 - 1.6 grams/Kg. Endurance athletes need more than the DRI, approximately 1.8-2.0 grams/Kg.

DRI for Calories • Is calculated from formulas (See Appendix).• Is set as an EAR and is the called the

estimated energy requirement (EER).• The EER is based on age, gender, and

physical activity.• The formulas require height in meters and

weight in kilograms.

DRI for Carbohydrate, Fiber & Fat

• Carbohydrate: At least 130 gm/day for adults

• Fiber: 38 gm/d 25 gm/d, [adults] • 1.4 gm/100 Calories consumed

• FAT: not determined for adults• Essential Fatty Acids:

• Linoleic Acid:

17 12 [adults, gm/d ]

• Alpha-Linolenic Acid:

1.6 1.1 [adults, gm/d ]

DRI for Exercise

• There is a DRI for exercise!

• It is 60 minutes cumulative moderate exercise per day.

• That means moving body parts and sweating while you are doing it.

AMDRs

Na, K, Cl & Water• In 2004 the DRI was published for Water and

the Electrolytes (Na, Cl, and K)• Sodium (Na): 1.5 gm if 19-50 years Sodium • Chloride (NaCl): 19-50 years 3.8 gm (3.8 gm

NaCl – 1.5 gm Na = 2.3 gm/day of Cl)• Potassium (K): 4.7 gm/day if >18 • Water: 2.7 L/day if 3.7 L/day if

Tolerable Upper Intake Levels: ULs

• For vitamins with DRIs• For minerals with DRIs• For arsenic, boron,

nickel, silicon, vanadium

DRIs Do Not Exist For:• Cholesterol• Sulfur (sulfate)• Cobalt• Non-essential, nutritional supplements

DRIs

• Are used to achieve nutritional balance and health in the population.

• Are used in nutrition assessment, meal planning, health care, research, food industry, national defense, food programs, public policy, etc.

Summary• DRIs are a collection of values to express

a persons nutrient need based on their life stage & gender.

• The exact DRI value may be as an RDA, AI, EAR depending on scientific information available for each nutrient.

• DRIs are expressed as ULs and AMDRs.• For Calories the DRI is called the EER.• There is DRI recommendation for

Physical activity.• The DRIs are standards that have many

important purposes and uses.

References for this presentation are the same as those for this topic found in module 2 of the textbook