1. Dietary Guidelines, Standards & Tools
Dietary Guidelines, Standards & Tools

2. What is a Healthy Diet?
Variety
Balance
Adequacy
Moderation
Enjoyment!

3. Nutrient Standards: Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI)
Developed by Institute of Medicine
DRI
Estimated Average Requirements (EAR)
Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)
Adequate Intake Levels (AI)
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL)
Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges (AMDR)
These are some of the terms used to define a “healthy diet”.

4. Establishing Nutrient Standards: EAR and RDA Compared
Estimated Average
Requirement
RDA
Number of people
Number of people
RDA created in 1943 with intent to prevent nutrient deficiencies
Revised ~ every 5 years
RDAs evidence based
Deficiencies
Nutrient use and storage
Balance studies
Daily requirement for nutrient X (units/day)
Daily requirement for nutrient X (units/day)

5. Using DRI in Dietary Assessment
UL is estimated max intake; higher intake likely to cause toxicity.
AI is similar to RDA but used when there is not enough scientific evidence to establish RDA.

6. Nutrient Standard Terms
Essentially, EAR used to determine likelihood of inadequacy, RDA and AI to determine likelihood of adequacy, UL to determine likelihood of toxicity.

7. Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Ranges
Ranges of intakes for each class of energy source that are associated with reduced risk of chronic disease while providing adequate intakes of essential nutrients
Carbohydrates: 45-65% total energy
Protein: 10-35% total energy
Fat: 20-35% total energy

8. DRI’s Applied: Food Labels
Purpose:
Way to help consumers become aware of nutrient content of food

9. Daily Values (DV)
Daily Value = amount (%) of recommended intake of a nutrient provided by a single serving of a food
Based on 2,000 kcal diet & former RDA values
DVs serve as a reference
<5% DV = low source
10-19%= good source
≥20% = high, excellent, rich source
DVs actually comprise two sets of reference values for nutrients: Daily Reference Values, or DRVs, and Reference Daily Intakes, or RDIs. But these two sets are "behind the scenes" in food labeling; only the Daily Value term appears on the label to make label reading less confusing.
DRV’s used for energy nutrients, fiber, and sodium. RDIs used for micronutrients (except sodium) and based on 1968 RDAs. To be updated.
Interesting article at link. (no date)
2,000 kcal reference range chosen “in part, because many health experts say it approximates the maintenance calorie requirements of the group most often targeted for weight reduction: postmenopausal women. Also, unlike the 2,350-calorie reference that FDA used in its proposal, 2,000 calories is a rounded number, which makes it easier for consumers to calculate their individual nutrient needs.”

10. Nutrition Facts Panel Other info found on food labels:
Nutrient content claims (low sodium, reduced fat, good source of calcium, etc)
Food allergy alerts
Ingredients
Health claims (approved, qualified)
Marketing!!

11. Dietary Guidelines Revised every 5 years Guidance system aimed to:
Promote health
Reduce risk of chronic disease

12. USDA Food Guide Pyramid - 1992

13. From Willett & Stampfer Scientific American, January 2003 issue

14. Diet Analysis Tools www.mypyramid.gov Diet Analysis Plus software
Log intake
Include weekdays & weekend days
ALL food & beverages