• The research results could be used in establishing a new DRI value.

• The handling of the topic in the DRI Macronutrients Report generated much discussion within the professional community.

• The research is related to DRI values that were difficult to meet as a part of eating plans that are consistent with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 (DHHS/USDA, 2005).

Background information of the derivation of specific Estimated Average Requirements (EARs), RDAs, or AIs is provided to help clarify the continuing research needs.

With regard to carbohydrates, there is much controversy over the RDA of 130 grams of carbohydrate per day and over the recommendation that intake of added sugars be less than 25 percent of calories. In addition, a recommendation to revisit the difference between high-glycemic and low-glycemic diets on diabetes and coronary heart disease needs attention.

The RDA of 130 grams of carbohydrate per day is based on the amount of glucose needed by the brain in a day. That amount of carbohydrate, however, is less than the amount that would be the lower limit of the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR). Thus, there is reason to consider basing the RDA for carbohydrate on the overall diet. Notably, the carbohydrate RDA was not used in developing the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 (DHHS/USDA, 2004, 2005). In this example, the research question might be, What level of carbohydrate intake is commensurate with a healthy diet?

The recommendation to limit added sugars to no more than 25 percent of calories was derived from a review of all the studies that examined the intake of added sugars and its relationship to micronutrient