Dietary Reference Values (DRVs)

The distribution of nutrient requirements within a population.

© Food – a fact of life 2009

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. © Food – a fact of life 2009

Nutritional Requirements

In 1991, a committee of experts researched and set the Dietary Reference Values (DRVs).

DRVs are a series of estimates of the amount of energy and nutrients needed by different groups of healthy people in the UK population. © Food – a fact of life 2009

Nutritional Requirements

It is important to recognise that individual nutritional needs vary widely. These figures are based on population groups, not individuals.

The Reference Nutrient Intake (RNI) is the amount of a nutrient that is enough to ensure that the needs of nearly all the population (97.5%) are being met. © Food – a fact of life 2009

Reference Nutrient Intake

The distribution of nutrient requirements within a population.

Number of people © Food – a fact of life 2009 Requirements RNI

RNI for calcium

Children 0-3 months 4-6 months 7-9 months 10-12 months 1-3 years 4-6 years 7-10 years Vitamin A μg/day 350 350 350 350 400 500 500 © Food – a fact of life 2009 Males 11-14 years 15-18 years 19-50 years 50 + Vitamin A μg/day 600 700 700 700 Females 11-14 years 15-18 years 19-50 years 50+ years Pregnancy Lactation Vitamin A μg/day 600 600 600 600 +100 +350

Nutritional Requirements

The Estimated Average Requirement (EARs) is an estimate of the average requirement for energy, for a nutrient. Approximately 50% of the population will need less energy or the nutrient and 50% of the population will need more.

© Food – a fact of life 2009

Estimated Average Requirement

The distribution of nutrient requirements within a population.

Number of people © Food – a fact of life 2009 EAR Requirements

EAR for energy

Children 0-3 months 4-6 months 7-9 months 10-12 months Boys MJ/day 2.28

2.89

3.44

3.85

1-3 years 4-6 years 7-10 years 5.15

7.16

8.24

© Food – a fact of life 2009 Girls MJ/day 2.16

2.69

3.20

3.61

4.86

6.46

7.28

Males

EAR for energy

MJ/day

11-14 years 9.27

15-18 years 11.51

19-50 years 10.60

Females

11-14 years 15-18 years 19-50 years 51-59 years 60-64 years 65-74 years 75+ years 51-59 years 10.60

MJ/day

7.72

8.83

8.10

8.00

7.99

7.96

7.61

60-64 years 9.93

65-74 years 9.71

75+ years 8.77

© Food – a fact of life 2009

Pregnancy

(0-3 months only)

Lactation

(0-1 month) (0-2 months) (2-3 months) Group 1 (4-6 months) (6+ months) Group 2 (4-6 months) (6+ months)

MJ/day

+0.8

+1.9

+2.2

+2.4

+2.0

+1.0

+2.4

+2.3

Nutritional Requirements

The Lower Reference Nutrient Intake (LRNI) is the amount of a nutrient that is enough for only the small number of people who have low requirements (2.5%). The majority of the population will need more. © Food – a fact of life 2009

Lower Reference Nutrient Intake

The distribution of nutrient requirements within a population.

Number of people © Food – a fact of life 2009 LRNI Requirements

Nutritional Requirements

The following two tables show the percentage of the male and female population in Britain who were not achieving the Lower Reference Nutrient Intake (LRNI) of vitamins and minerals in 2003. © Food – a fact of life 2009

Vitamin & mineral intakes: % below LRNI

Age (years)

Riboflavin Vitamin B 6 Vitamin B 12 Folate Vitamin A Iron Calcium Magnesium

< 4

0 4 0 0 0 3 2 4

4 - 6

0 4 0 0 3 3 3 3

7 - 10 % British males below LRNI 11 - 14 15 - 18 19 - 34 35 - 64

4 7 6 1 6 1 7 0 1 1 0 0 3 3 3 2 0 1 12 3 12 28 0 0 12 3 9 18 1 2 16 1 2 9 0 0 5 1 2 7

65+

2 1 0 0 3 1 2 8 What conclusions can be drawn from this table?

© Food – a fact of life 2009 Source: National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2003

Vitamin & mineral intakes: % below LRNI

Age (years)

Riboflavin Vitamin B 6 Vitamin B 12 Folate Vitamin A Iron Calcium Magnesium

< 4

0 1 0 0 8 16 1 0

4 - 6

0 5 0 1 7 4 2 2

% British Females below LRNI 7 - 10 11 - 14 15 - 18 19 - 34 35 - 64

1 0 1 2 22 1 1 3 21 5 2 4 12 7 1 3 5 1 1 2 9 3 5 5 20 44 24 51 12 48 19 53 13 40 7 21 5 23 5 9

65+

9 2 1 5 3 5 9 23 What conclusions can be drawn from this table?

© Food – a fact of life 2009 Source: National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2003

Dietary Reference Values

DRVs are important for ensuring adequate intakes of energy and nutrients occurs throughout life.

Many health concerns and illnesses are linked to malnutrition. The DRVs assist in preventing malnutrition.

© Food – a fact of life 2009

Dietary Reference Values

In summary: EAR is used for energy.

RNI is often used as a reference amount for population groups.

LRNI is a useful measure of nutritional inadequacy. © Food – a fact of life 2009

Review of the 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.

© Food – a fact of life 2009

© Food – a fact of life 2009

For more information visit www.foodafactoflife.org.uk