1. Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
Module 2.2
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)
By Jennifer Turley and Joan Thompson
© 2013 Cengage

2. Presentation Overview
Defining DRIs
Assessing nutrients using DRIs
Understanding hoe DRIs are used

3. What are DRIs?
Standards to guide safe & adequate intakes of essential nutrients for healthy humans
Sick individuals have different needs
The year 2001, 2002 & 2004 revision values were designed to promote optimal function & health for healthy people
Are specific for groups of people based on: life stage, gender, pregnancy & lactation, etc
Are adequate for moderately active people

4. How are DRIs established?
By scientific committee literature review
Nutrients are given
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
Adequate Intake (AI), or
Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) value based on life stage & gender

5. RDA: level to meet 97-98% of needs AI: average or mean intake level EAR: average daily nutrient intake level estimated to meet the requirement of half the needs.

6. Other DRI Components
Tolerable upper intake levels (UL) for vitamins & minerals.
Highest intake level likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects
Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR) for energy producing nutrients & essential fatty acids
% Calorie range
Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) for Calories
DRI for physical activity

7. DRIs Exist For: Vitamins Minerals Water
A, D, E, K, B1 (thiamin), B2 (riboflavin), B3 (niacin), B6, B12, folate & vitamin C
biotin, pantothenic acid, choline
Minerals
Ca, P, Mg, Fe, Zn, I, Se
Cu, Mn, Cr, Mo, F, NA, K, Cl
Water
Men ≥19 years: 3.7 L/day (approx. 15 cups)
Women ≥ 19 years : 2.7 L/day (approx. 11 cups)

8. DRI for Protein
The adult DRI for protein is set at 0.8 grams/Kg body weight
This level is for inactive persons
See appendix for gram/Kg need for infants, children, and adolescents
Note about DRIs:
- Active persons need more than the DRI, approximately grams/Kg BW
- Endurance athletes need more than the active DRI, approximately grams/Kg BW

9. DRI for Calories Is calculated from formulas (See Appendix)
Is set as an EAR and is called the estimated energy requirement (EER)
The EER is based on age, gender, and physical activity
The formulas require height in meters and weight in kilograms

10. DRI for Carbs, Fiber & Fat
Carbohydrate: at least 130g/ day for adults
Fiber:  38 g/d;  25 g/d (adults)
1.4 gm/100 Calories consumed
Fat: not determined for adults
Essential Fatty acids:
Linoleic acid: Alpha-linolenic acid:
17 g/d 12 g/d (adults) 1.6 g/d  1.1 g/d (adults)

11. DRI for Exercise There is a DRI for exercise!
It is 60 minutes cumulative moderate exercise per day
That means moving body parts and sweating while you are doing it

12. AMDRs
Carbohydrates
45-65%
Protein
10-35%
Fat
20-35%

13. Na, K, Cl & Water
In 2004 the DRI was published for Water and the Electrolytes (Na, Cl & K)
 For adults yrs
Sodium (Na): 1.5g/ day
Chloride (Cl): 2.3g/ day
Sodium Chloride (NaCl): 3.8 g/ day
Potassium (K): 4.7 gm/day if >18
Water: 2.7 L/day if  3.7 L/day if 
See Appendix

14. Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (ULs)
For vitamins with DRIs
For minerals with DRIs
For arsenic, boron, nickel, silicon, vanadium

15. DRIs Do Not Exist For: Cholesterol Sulfur (sulfate) Cobalt
Non-essential, nutritional supplements

16. DRIs
Are used to achieve nutritional balance and health in the population
Are used in nutrition assessment, meal planning, health care, research, food industry, national defense, food programs, public policy, etc

17. Summary
DRIs are a collection of values to express a persons nutrient need based on their life stage & gender
The exact DRI value may be as an RDA, AI, EAR depending on scientific information available for each nutrient
DRIs are expressed as ULs and AMDRs
For Calories the DRI is called the EER
There is DRI recommendation for Physical activity
The DRIs are standards that have many important purposes and uses
References for this presentation are the same as those for this topic found in module 2 of the textbook