Nutrient Requirements and Dietary Reference Intakes

Nutrient Requirements and Standards

• A nutrient requirement is the smallest amount of a nutrient that maintains a defined level of nutritional health, preventing deficiency diseases.
• Requirements vary from person to person based on factors like age, sex, health status, physical activity level, and medication use.
• Nutrient requirements change throughout the lifespan.
• Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are daily energy and nutrient intake standards used to make dietary recommendations, reduce disease risk, and achieve optimal health.

DRIs

• Estimated Average Requirement (EAR): daily amount of a nutrient that meets the needs of 50% of healthy people in a particular life stage/sex group.
• Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA): daily amount of a nutrient that meets the needs of nearly all healthy individuals in a particular life stage/sex group.
• Adequate Intake (AI): used when there is not enough information to establish an RDA for a nutrient.
• Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL): highest average daily intake of a nutrient that is unlikely to harm most people.
• Estimated Energy Requirement (EER): average daily energy intake that meets the needs of a healthy person maintaining their weight.
• Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR): range of carbohydrate, fat, and protein intakes that provide adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals and may reduce the risk of diet-related chronic diseases.
• Chronic Disease Risk Reduction Intake (CDRR): nutrient intake level that reduces chronic disease risk within a healthy population.

Applying Nutrient Standards

• Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs) use DRIs to plan nutritious diets and evaluate the nutritional adequacy of a population's diet.
• RDAs and AIs are used to evaluate an individual's dietary practices.
• Pharmaceutical companies and the FDA use nutrient standards to develop formulas and nutrition labels.

Major Food Groups

• Grains: include products made from wheat, rice, and oats.
• Dairy products: include milk and products made from milk that retain their calcium content after processing.
• Protein-rich foods: include beef, pork, lamb, fish, shellfish, poultry, beans, eggs, nuts, and seeds.
• Fruits and vegetables: include fresh, dried, frozen, sauced, and canned fruit and vegetables, and 100% fruit and vegetable juice.
• Other foods: include oils, solid fats, sugary foods, and alcohol-containing beverages.

Levels of Food Processing

• Raw foods can undergo different levels of processing, including refinement, before they are eaten.
• Minimally processed foods: typically contain few refined ingredients.
• Ultra-processed foods: contain numerous additives to extend shelf life, enhance flavor, texture, color, and convenience.

2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans

• Published every 5 years by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the USDA to promote good health and reduce the risk of major nutrition-related chronic health conditions.
• Based on scientific evidence, the guidelines provide recommendations for healthy children and adults.
• Four Overarching Guidelines:
  • Follow a healthy dietary pattern at every life stage.
  • Customize and enjoy nutrient-dense food and beverage choices.
  • Focus on meeting food group needs with nutrient-dense foods and beverages.
  • Limit foods and beverages higher in added sugars, saturated fat, and sodium.

Features of a Healthy Eating Pattern

• Includes a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, a variety of protein foods, and oils.
• Limits saturated fats, trans fats, added sugars, sodium, and alcohol.
• Aims to consume less than 10% of total calories from saturated fat and added sugars.
• Limits sodium intake to less than 2300 mg per day.

Recommendations for Specific Population Groups

• Infants from birth to 6 months: consume only breast milk or iron-fortified infant formula.
• Infants 6 months to 12 months: begin low-sodium, nutrient-dense foods, including potentially allergenic foods.
• Infants 12 months to toddlers 23 months: drink cow's milk or fortified soy beverages, eat a variety of low-sodium foods, and limit added sugars.
• Children 2 to 18 years: limit consumption of foods and beverages with added sugars.
• Women who can become pregnant, are pregnant, or are breastfeeding: consume 8 to 12 ounces of seafood per week, consume iron-rich foods or take an iron supplement, and limit caffeine intake.
• Adults 60 years and older: consume adequate amounts of protein-rich foods.

Applying the Dietary Guidelines

• Increase variety of protein foods, including plant sources and seafood.
• Consume more nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables.
• Choose 100% whole grain and enriched grain products.
• Season foods with herbs and spices, and limit salt.
• Drink water, fat-free and low-fat milk, and 100% juice instead of drinks with added sugars.
• Consume nutrient-dense foods that provide potassium, dietary fiber, calcium, and vitamin D.

Food Guides and Nutritionally Adequate Diets

• The USDA has issued specific dietary recommendations for Americans for over 100 years.
• The first food guide was published in 1943, based on RDAs for the general public.
• The "Basic Four" food groups were introduced in the mid-1950s: milk, meats, fruits and vegetables, and breads and cereals.

MyPyramid Plan

• Released by the USDA in 2005, based on Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005.
• Emphasizes the importance of physical activity and enables consumers to monitor their activity levels.
• Replaced by MyPlate in 2011.

MyPlate

• An interactive dietary and menu planning guide that focuses on five food groups: fruits, vegetables, protein foods, grains, and dairy.
• Does not include a portion of the plate for "oils," but notes the need for fat in the diet.
• The www.myplate.gov website provides a variety of diet-related tools, including games, recipes, quizzes, video clips, and "MyPlate Plan," an interactive tool for developing nutritionally adequate daily food plans.

Food Lists and Carbohydrate Counting

• The Food Lists for Diabetes and Weight Management can be used to estimate the energy, protein, carbohydrate, and fat content of foods.
• The Food Lists method categorizes foods into three broad groups: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
• Within each group, the Food Lists suggest choices for each type of food, with specified amounts providing about the same amount of macronutrients and calories.

Food and Dietary Supplement Labels

• The FDA regulates and monitors information on food labels, including claims about the health benefits of ingredients.
• Nearly all foods and beverages sold in grocery stores must have labels that provide:
  • Product name
  • Manufacturer's name and address
  • Amount of product in the package
  • Nutrition Facts panel
• The Nutrition Facts panel displays information about:
  • Serving size
  • Servings per container
  • Energy and nutrient contents
  • Vitamins and minerals
  • Daily Values (DVs)

Health- and Nutrition-Related Claims

• The FDA permits food manufacturers to include certain health claims on food labels.
• Health claims describe how a food, food ingredient, or dietary supplement may reduce the risk of a nutrition-related condition.
• Claims must be:
  • Complete, easy to understand, honest, and not misleading
  • Based on scientific evidence
  • For a product that has 10% or more of the DVs for a particular nutrient

Structure/Function Claims

• Describe the role a nutrient or dietary supplement plays in maintaining a structure or promoting a normal function.
• Examples include:
  • "Calcium builds strong bones."
  • "Fiber maintains bowel regularity."

Nutrient Content Claims

• Describe levels of nutrients in packaged foods.
• Examples include:
  • "Free" (less than 0.5 g of a nutrient per serving)
  • "High" (5 g or more of a nutrient per serving)
  • "Low" (less than 3 g of a nutrient per serving)
  • "Reduced" (at least 25% less of a nutrient per serving than the reference food)

Dietary Supplement Labels

• Dietary supplement containers must be properly labeled.
• Labels must include information about:
  • Product name
  • Manufacturer's name and address
  • Amount of product in the container
  • Ingredients and their amounts
  • Supplement Facts panel
• Must include the "Supplement Facts" panel, which provides information about:
  • Serving size
  • Amount per serving
  • Percent Daily Value (%DV) for ingredients, if established
  • % Daily Value (%DV)

Health Claims and Disclaimers

• A health claim on the label must be followed by the FDA disclaimer.
• FDA does not permit manufacturers to market a dietary supplement product as a treatment or cure for a disease, or to relieve signs or symptoms of a disease.
• Structure/function claims are allowed, but must include the FDA's disclaimer if the claim has not been evaluated by the agency.

FDA Regulations

• Does not require dietary supplement manufacturers or sellers to provide evidence that labeling claims are accurate or truthful before they appear on product containers.
• Manufacturers must notify the FDA about structure/function claims on labels within 30 days after introducing the products into the marketplace.
• Manufacturers are responsible for providing the FDA with evidence that their products are safe and the claims on labels are honest and not misleading.### Reducing Exposure to Pesticides in Food
• Washing and scrubbing fresh fruits and vegetables under running water can reduce exposure to pesticides
• Using special produce washes and detergents is not more effective than using water
• Peeling and trimming fruits and vegetables before eating can reduce exposure to pesticides
• Trimming the fat from meat and skin of poultry and fish can reduce exposure to pesticides because they accumulate in fat
• Eating a variety of foods reduces the likelihood of excessive exposure to a single pesticide

Conventional and Organic Food Production

• Conventional farming methods use heavy fertilizers and pesticides, deplete underground water supplies, and focus on growing single crops
• Organic farming methods promote crop variety, soil and water conservation, and recycling of plant nutrients
• Organic farming does not rely on antibiotics, hormones, synthetic fertilizers, genetic improvements, or ionizing radiation

Organic Labeling Categories

• The USDA has three labeling categories for organic foods: "100% Organic", "Organic", and "Made with Organic"
• "100% Organic" products must contain 100% certified organic ingredients
• "Organic" products must contain at least 95% certified organic ingredients
• "Made with Organic" products must contain 70-95% certified organic ingredients
• The USDA's symbol on the package indicates that the product meets USDA standards for organic food

Trends in Organic Food Sales

• Sales of organic foods have increased steadily since the 1990s
• In 2019, Americans spent over an estimated $55 billion on organic foods and beverages
• Sales of organic foods increased by 25% from March to June 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Influences on American Dietary Patterns

• Various ethnic and religious groups have influenced Americans' dietary patterns

Northwestern European Influences

• Immigrants from northwestern European regions established the familiar "meat-and-potatoes" diet
• This diet features a large portion of beef or pork served with a smaller portion of potatoes
• Associated with high rates of chronic diseases, particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes

Hispanic Influences

• The traditional Mexican diet included corn, beans, chili peppers, avocados, papayas, and pineapples
• Fruits and vegetables add fiber and a variety of nutrients, phytochemicals, vivid colors, and interesting flavors to Mexican dishes
• Authentic Mexican meals are based primarily on rice, tortillas, and beans, depending on the region

Italian and Other Mediterranean Influences

• The traditional Italian diet is healthier than the Western diet and features pasta, olive oil, fish, nuts, fruits, and vegetables
• The Mediterranean Diet Pyramid has plant foods as the core of a healthy diet
• Grains, fruits, and vegetables form the foundation of this diet
• Red meat and sugary foods are rarely eaten, and wine may be included with meals

African Heritage Influences

• The diets of African-Americans have changed significantly over the past several decades to incorporate regional food preferences
• Traditional African-American diet includes sweet potato pie, fried chicken, pork, black-eyed peas, and "greens"
• Fried foods and salt-cured pork products contribute undesirable levels of fat and sodium to the diet

Asian Influences

• Traditional Asian foods feature large amounts of vegetables, rice, or noodles combined with small amounts of meat, fish, or shellfish
• The variety of vegetables used in Asian dishes adds color, flavor, texture, phytochemicals, and nutrients to meals
• The Asian Diet Pyramid illustrates the traditional Asian dietary pattern, which generally provides inadequate amounts of calcium from milk and milk products

Native American Influences

• The traditional Native American diet was low in sodium and fat and high in fiber
• Many Native Americans abandoned their traditional diets and adopted the typical Western diet, leading to negative health effects

Religious Influences on Dietary Practices

• Many religions require members to follow strict food handling and dietary practices
• Examples include Jewish dietary laws (kosher), Buddhist vegetarianism, Hindu restrictions on beef and pork, Islamic prohibition of pork, birds of prey, reptiles, insects, and alcohol-containing beverages, and Mormon avoidance of alcohol, coffee, and tea

Learn about nutrient requirements, how they vary among individuals, and dietary reference intakes as standards for healthy dietary recommendations