Dietary Reference Intakes: Applications in Dietary Assessment

differs. A more detailed discussion of the origin and framework of the DRIs is presented in Appendix A. Recommended intakes for the nutrients examined to date are presented at the end of this book.

The introduction of multiple dietary reference intakes—the EAR, RDA, AI, and UL—requires that applications for each be carefully developed and clearly explained. Box S-2 provides a brief introduction to appropriate uses of the DRIs for assessment, but it lacks the detail needed for their application (see Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Chapter 5, Chapter 6 and Chapter 7).

Various professionals applying the former RDAs and RNIs—nutrition researchers, policy makers, nutrition educators, epidemiologists, and many others—may need guidance in using and interpreting

Box S-2 Uses of DRIs for Assessing Intakes of Individuals and Groups

For an Individual	For a Group
EAR: use to examine the probability that usual intake is inadequate.	EAR: use to estimate the prevalence of inadequate intakes within a group.
RDA: usual intake at or above this level has a low probability of inadequacy.	RDA: do not use to assess intakes of groups.
AI: usual intake at or above this level has a low probability of inadequacy.	AI: mean usual intake at or above this level implies a low prevalence of inadequate intakes.^a
UL: usual intake above this level may place an individual at risk of adverse effects from excessive nutrient intake.	UL: use to estimate the percentage of the population at potential risk of adverse effects from excessive nutrient intake.

EAR = Estimated Average Requirement

RDA = Recommended Dietary Allowance

AI = Adequate Intake

UL = Tolerable Upper Intake Level

^a When the AI for a nutrient is not based on mean intakes of healthy populations, this assessment is made with less confidence.

Table of Contents

Front Matter R1-R14

Contents R15-R18

Summary 1-18

I. Historical Perspective and Background 19-20

1 Introduction and Background 21-28

2 Current Uses of Dietary Reference Standards 29-42

II. Application of DRIs for Individual Diet Assessment 43-44

3 Using Dietary Reference Intakes for Nutrient Assessment of Individuals 45-70

III. Application of DRIs for Group Diet Assessment 71-72

4 Using the Estimated Average Requirement for Nutrient Assessment of Groups 73-105

5 Using the Adequate Intake for Nutrient Assessment of Groups 106-112

6 Using the Tolerable Upper Intake Level for Nutrient Assessment of Groups 113-126

7 Specific Applications: Assessing Nutrient Intakes of Groups Using the Dietary Reference Intakes 127-144

IV. Fine-Tuning Dietary Assessment Using the DRIs 145-146

8 Minimizing Potential Errors in Assessing Group and Individual Intakes 147-161

9 Research Recommended to Improve the Uses of Dietary Reference Intakes 162-167

10 References 168-178

Appendix A: Origin and Framework of the Development of Dietary Reference Intakes 179-184

Appendix B: Nutrient Assessment of Individuals: Statistical Foundations 185-202

Appendix C: Assessing Prevalence of Inadequate Intakes for Groups: Statistical Foundations 203-210

Appendix D: Assessing the Performance of the EAR Cut-Point Method for Estimating Prevalence 211-231

Appendix E: Units of Observation: Assessing Nutrient Adequacy Using Household and Population Data 232-238

Appendix F: Rationale for Setting Adequate Intakes 239-253

Appendix G: Glossary and Abbreviations 254-261

Appendix H: Biographical Sketches of Subcommittee Members 262-266

Index 267-281

Summary Table: Estimated Average Requirements 282-283

Summary Table: Tolerable Upper Intake Levels 284-286

Summary Table: Recommended Intakes for Individuals 287-289