Dietary reference
values (DRVs)
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Learning objectives
• To know about the development of
Dietary Reference Values.
• To understand Estimated Average
Reference (EAR) values.
• To understand Reference Nutrient Intake
(RNI) values.
• To understand Lower Reference Nutrient
Intake (LRNI) values.
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Nutritional requirements
People require a variety of
nutrients to stay healthy and
reduce the risk of diet-related
diseases.
The amount of each nutrient
needed is called the nutritional
requirement.
These are different for each
nutrient and also vary between
individuals and life stages, e.g.
women of childbearing age
need more iron than men.
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Why do you think nutritional
requirements vary?
Individual requirements of
each nutrient are related to:
•
•
•
•
age;
gender;
level of physical activity;
state of health.
Some people absorb or utilise
nutrients less efficiently than
others and so will have higher
than average nutritional
requirements.
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Nutrient requirements:
Dietary Reference Values (DRVs)
In the UK, most of the estimated dietary
requirements for particular groups of the
population are based on advice that was
published by the Committee on Medical
Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy (COMA) in
the 1991 report Dietary Reference Values for
Food Energy and Nutrients for the United
Kingdom. These are known as the Dietary
Reference Values (DRVs).
Since this time, COMA has been superseded by
the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition
(SACN).
From time to time, SACN has reviewed the
evidence for particular nutrients but in most
cases has not identified a need to change the
DRVs.
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Nutrient requirements
DRVs are estimates of the
requirements for groups of
people and are not
recommendations or goals for
individual people.
There are three types of
estimates:
• Estimated Average
Requirements (EARs);
• Reference Nutrient Intakes
(RNIs);
• Lower Reference Nutrient
Intakes (LRNIs).
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Estimated Average
Requirement (EAR)
This is an estimate of the
average requirement for
energy or a nutrient.
Approximately 50% of a group
of people will require less
energy or nutrient, and 50% will
require more.
No. of
people
EAR
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Requirements
EARs
SACN has also published new reference values for
daily energy requirements as follows:
Children and teenagers
Months
1-2
3-4
5-6
7-12
Boys (MJ)
2.2
2.4
2.5
2.9
Breast-fed
Boys (kcal)
Girls (MJ)
526
2.0
574
2.2
598
2.3
694
2.7
Years
Boys (MJ)
Boys (kcal)
1
3.2
765
2
4.2
1004
3
4.9
1171
4
5.8
1386
5
6.2
1482
6
6.6
1577
7
6.9
1649
8
7.3
1745
9
7.7
1840
10
8.5
2032
11
8.9
2127
12
9.4
2247
13
10.1
2414
14
11.0
2629
15
11.8
2820
16
12.4
2964
17
12.9
3083
18
13.2
3155
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Girls (MJ)
3.0
3.9
4.5
5.4
5.7
6.2
6.4
6.8
7.2
8.1
8.5
8.8
9.3
9.8
10.0
10.1
10.3
10.3
Girls (kcal)
478
526
550
646
Girls (kcal)
717
932
1076
1291
1362
1482
1530
1625
1721
1936
2032
2103
2223
2342
2390
2414
2462
2462
EARs
Adults
Years
Men (MJ)
Men (kcal)
19-24
11.6
2772
9.1
2175
25-34
11.5
2749
9.1
2175
35-44
11.0
2629
8.8
2103
45-54
10.8
2581
8.8
2103
55-64
10.8
2581
8.7
2079
65-74
9.8
2342
8.0
1912
75+
9.6
2294
7.7
1840
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Women (MJ) Women (kcal)
Reference Nutrient Intake
(RNI):
The RNI is the amount of a
nutrient that is enough to
ensure that the needs of nearly
all the group (97.5%) are being
met. The RNI is used for
recommendations on protein,
vitamins and minerals.
No. of
people
Requirements
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RNI
Example RNI
(Vitamin A)
Children
Vitamin A
μg/day
0-3 months
350
4-6 months
350
7-9 months
350
10-12 months
350
1-3 years
400
4-6 years
400
7-10 years
500
Females
Vitamin A
μg/day
Males
Vitamin A
μg/day
11-14 years
600
11-14 years
600
15-18 years
600
15-18 years
700
19-50 years
600
19-50 years
700
50+ years
600
50 +
700
Pregnancy
+100
Lactation
+350
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Lower Reference Nutrient
Intake (LRNI)
The amount of a nutrient that is
enough for only the small
number of people who have
low requirements (2.5%). The
majority of people need more.
No. of
people
LRNI
Requirements
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This table shows the proportion of the UK population
who have intakes below the LRNI as highlighted below.
Vitamin & mineral intakes: % below LRNI
Male
Female
Age, years
4-10
11-18
19-64
65+
4-10
11-18
19-64
65+
Vitamin A
5
12
8
3
4
14
5
1
Riboflavin
1
8
4
5
1
20
11
2
Folate
0
2
2
0
0
6
3
3
Iron
1
6
1
2
1
45
21
0
Calcium
0
7
4
2
2
18
8
2
Magnesium
0
27
16
18
3
50
11
9
Potassium
0
17
11
14
0
31
23
18
Zinc
5
11
9
9
8
19
3
0
Selenium
0
22
25
31
1
44
50
52
Iodine
2
8
5
0
3
20
9
1
What conclusions can be drawn from this table?
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Source: National Diet and Nutrition Survey, Rolling Programme Years 1, 2 and 3, 2008-2011
Dietary reference values
DRVs are important for ensuring
adequate intakes of energy
and nutrients throughout life.
Many health concerns and
illnesses may be linked to
malnutrition.
The DRVs assist in preventing
malnutrition.
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Dietary reference values
In summary:
EAR is used for energy. The EARs for energy are
based on the present lifestyles and activity levels
of the UK population.
RNI is often used as a reference amount for
population groups.
LRNI is a useful measure of nutritional inadequacy.
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Question
True or false?
Nutritional requirements are
the same for everyone.
True
False
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False. Nutritional requirements
are different for everyone.
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Next
question
Question
True or false?
Estimated Average
Requirements are set for
vitamins and minerals.
True
False
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False. Estimated Average
Requirements are set for
carbohydrate and fat.
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Next
question
Question
True or false?
DRVs are targets for individuals
to meet.
True
False
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False. DRVs are set for
populations, not individuals.
The end
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