Nutrition and Health
Nutritional Requirements
Introduction
• Different countries take different approaches to set nutritional requirements for their population with slightly different terminology, e.g.
– Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) in United Kingdom
– Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) in the United States of America
– Population Reference Intake (PRI) in the European Union
United Kingdom
Dietary Reference Values
Dietary Reference Values
• Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) are a series of data to estimate the amount of energy and
nutrients needed by different groups of healthy people in the United Kingdom population.
Dietary Reference Values - Types
• There are four types of Dietary Reference Values:
– Estimated Average Requirements (EARs) – Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNIs)
– Lower Reference Nutrient Intakes (LRNIs) – Safe Intake
• These estimated amounts are based on the needs of a group, not individuals.
Dietary Reference Values –
Estimated Average Requirement
• The Estimated Average Requirement (EARs) is an estimate of the median requirement for
energy or a nutrient for a particular group of people.
• Approximately 50% of the group will need less energy or the nutrient and 50% of the group will need more.
Dietary Reference Values –
Estimated Average Requirement
The distribution of nutrient requirements within a group.
EAR Number of
people
Requirements
Dietary Reference Values – Reference Nutrient Intake
• The Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) is the
amount of a nutrient that is enough to ensure that the needs of nearly all the people of a
particular group (97.5%) are being met.
• RNI values vary by age and gender.
Dietary Reference Values – Reference Nutrient Intake
The distribution of nutrient requirements within a group.
RNI Number of
people
Requirements
Dietary Reference Values –
Lower Reference Nutrient Intake
• The Lower Reference Nutrient Intake (LRNI) is the amount of a nutrient that is enough for only a small number of people in a particular group who have low requirements (2.5%).
• The majority of the group will need more.
Dietary Reference Values –
Lower Reference Nutrient Intake
The distribution of nutrient requirements within a group.
LRNI Number
of people
Dietary Reference Values - Safe Intake
• The Safe Intake is used where there is
insufficient evidence to set an EAR, RNI or LRNI.
• The safe intake is the amount judged to be enough for almost everyone in a particular group, but below a level that could have undesirable effects.
China
Dietary Reference Intake
Dietary Reference Intakes
• The Chinese Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) were established by the Chinese Nutrition
Society in 2000.
• DRIs are used as benchmarks to evaluate the nutritional status a the individual and
population levels.
Dietary Reference Intakes - Types
• There are four sets of reference values:
- Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) - Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) - Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)
- Adequate Intake (AI)
Relationship of Dietary Reference
Intakes to Risk of Nutrient Inadequacy
and Risk of Adverse Health Effects
Dietary Reference Intakes – Estimated Average Requirement
• The Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) is the average daily nutrient intake value that is estimated to meet the needs of half the
healthy individuals in a given age and gender group.
Dietary Reference Intakes – Recommended Nutrient Intake
• The Recommended Nutrient Intake (RNI) is a daily nutrient intake value that is estimated to meet the needs of 97 to 98% healthy
individuals in a given age and gender group.
Dietary Reference Intakes – Tolerable Upper Intake Level
• The Tolerable Upper Intake level (UL) is the highest nutrient intake value that is likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects for individuals in a given age and gender group.
• It is not intended to be a recommended level of intake.
• The UL is established when strong evidence
supporting the relationship between the over dosage of a nutrient and the adverse effects on health is
Dietary Reference Intakes – Adequate Intake
• The Adequate Intake (AI) is provided when
sufficient scientific evidence is lacking, the EAR cannot be determined and the RNI cannot be calculated.
• The AI is based on experimental data or
observed nutrient intake by a group of healthy people, with an assumption that the intake is
References
• British Nutrition Foundation (2016). Nutrition Requirements.
• Combet, E., & Buckton, C. (2015). Micronutrient deficiencies, vitamin pills and nutritional
supplements. Medicine,43(2), 66-72.
doi:10.1016/j.mpmed.2014.11.002
• Fung, J. (2008). Nutrient and Health - Maintain
Optimal Nutrient Intake(Vol. 28, Food Safety Focus) (Hong Kong, Centre for Food Safety, Risk
