© Food – a fact of life 2009 Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) The distribution of nutrient requirements within a population

© Food – a fact of life 2009

Dietary Reference Values (DRVs)

The distribution of nutrient requirements within a population.


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.


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.



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.


Reference Nutrient Intake

RNI

Number of people


Requirements


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 500

7-10 years 500

Males Vitamin A μg/day

11-14 years 600

15-18 years 700

19-50 years 700

50 + 700

RNI for calcium

Females Vitamin A μg/day

11-14 years 600

15-18 years 600

19-50 years 600

50+ years 600

Pregnancy +100

Lactation +350



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.


Estimated Average Requirement

EAR

Number of people


Requirements


EAR for energy

Children BoysMJ/day

GirlsMJ/day

0-3 months 2.28 2.16

4-6 months 2.89 2.69

7-9 months 3.44 3.20

10-12 months 3.85 3.61

1-3 years 5.15 4.86

4-6 years 7.16 6.46

7-10 years 8.24 7.28


EAR for energy

Males MJ/day

11-14 years

9.27

15-18 years

11.51

19-50 years

10.60

51-59 years

10.60

60-64 years

9.93

65-74 years

9.71

75+ years 8.77

Females MJ/day

11-14 years 7.72

15-18 years 8.83

19-50 years 8.10

51-59 years 8.00

60-64 years 7.99

65-74 years 7.96

75+ years 7.61

Pregnancy MJ/day

(0-3 months only)

+0.8

Lactation

(0-1 month) +1.9

(0-2 months)

+2.2

(2-3 months)

+2.4

Group 1(4-6 months)

+2.0

(6+ months) +1.0

Group 2(4-6 months)

+2.4

(6+ months) +2.3



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.


Lower Reference Nutrient Intake

LRNI

Number of people


Requirements



The following two tables show the percentage of the male and female population in Britain who were notachieving the Lower Reference Nutrient Intake (LRNI) of vitamins and minerals in 2003.


Age (years)

% British males below LRNI

< 4 4 - 6 7 - 10

11 - 14

15 - 18

19 - 34

35 - 64

65+

Riboflavin 0 0 4 6 6 7 1 2

Vitamin B6 4 4 7 1 1 0 1 1

Vitamin B12 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0

Folate 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0

Vitamin A 0 3 3 12 12 16 5 3

Iron 3 3 3 3 3 1 1 1

Calcium 2 3 3 12 9 2 2 2

Magnesium 4 3 2 28 18 9 7 8

Vitamin & mineral intakes: % below LRNI

Source: National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2003

What conclusions can be drawn from this table?


Age (years)

% British Females below LRNI

< 4

4 - 6 7 - 10

11 - 14

15 - 18

19 - 34

35 - 64

65+

Riboflavin 0 0 1 22 21 12 5 9

Vitamin B6 1 5 0 1 5 7 1 2

Vitamin B12 0 0 1 1 2 1 1 1

Folate 0 1 2 3 4 3 2 5

Vitamin A 8 7 9 20 12 13 5 3

Iron 16 4 3 44 48 40 23 5

Calcium 1 2 5 24 19 7 5 9

Magnesium 0 2 5 51 53 21 9 23

Source: National Diet and Nutrition Survey 2003

Vitamin & mineral intakes: % below LRNI

What conclusions can be drawn from this table?


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.


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.


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.


For more information visit

www.foodafactoflife.org.uk

Documents

© Food – a fact of life 2009 Dietary Reference Values (DRVs) The distribution of nutrient requirements within a population