mittee devised a plan involving the work of expert nutrient group panels and two overarching subcommittees (Figure A-l).

The Subcommittee on Interpretation and Uses of Dietary Reference Intakes (Uses Subcommittee) is composed of experts in nutrition, dietetics, statistics, nutritional epidemiology, public health, economics, and consumer perspectives. The Uses Subcommittee is charged to review the scientific literature regarding the uses of dietary reference standards and their applications and (1) provide guidance for the appropriate application of DRIs for specific purposes and identify inappropriate applications, (2) provide guidance for adjustments to be made for potential errors in dietary intake data and the assumptions regarding intake and requirement distributions, and (3) provide specific guidance for use of DRI values of individual nutrients.

The Uses Subcommittee was charged with examining the appropriate use of each of the DRI values in assessing nutrient intakes of groups and of individuals for this report; a future report will present information on the appropriate use of specific DRI values in the planning of diets for groups and for individuals. Each report will present the statistical underpinnings for the various uses of the DRI values and also will indicate when specific uses are inappropriate. This report reflects the work of the DRI Committee, the Uses Subcommittee, and the Subcommittee on Upper Reference Levels of Nutrients, all under the oversight of the Food and Nutrition Board.

Nutrient intake recommendations are expressed for 16 life stage groups, as listed in Table A-1 and described in more detail in the first Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) nutrient report (IOM, 1997). If data are too sparse to distinguish differences in requirements by life stage and gender group, the analysis may be presented for a larger grouping. Differences will be indicated by gender when warranted by the data.

The reference heights and weights selected for adults and children are shown in Table A-2. The values are based on anthropometric data collected from 1988 through 1994 as part of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III) in the United States.