Compare and contrast the four categories of Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs).

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Estimated Average Requirements (EAR): The committee reviews hundreds of
research studies to determine the requirement for a nutrient—how much is
needed in the diet. The committee selects a different criterion for each nutrient
based on its roles in supporting various activities in the body and in reducing
disease risks.
An examination of all the available data reveals that each person’s body is
unique and has its own set of requirements. Men differ from women, and needs
change as people grow from infancy through old age. For this reason, the
committee clusters its recommendations for people into groups based on
gender and age. Even so, the exact requirements for people of the same
gender and age are likely to be different. Using this information, the committee
determines an Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) for each nutrient—the
average amount that appears sufficient for half of the population.
Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA): Once a nutrient requirement is
established, the committee must decide what intake to recommend for
everybody—the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). The EAR is probably
closest to everyone’s need. If people consumed exactly the average
requirement of a given nutrient each day, however, approximately half of the
population would develop deficiencies of that nutrient. Recommendations are
therefore set greater than the EAR to meet the needs of most healthy people.
Adequate Intakes (AI): For some nutrients, such as vitamin K, there is
insufficient scientific evidence to determine an EAR (which is needed to set an
RDA). In these cases, the committee establishes an Adequate Intake (AI)
instead of an RDA. An AI reflects the average amount of a nutrient that a group
of healthy people consumes. Like the RDA, the AI may be used as nutrient
goals for individuals.
Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL): The recommended intakes for nutrients are
generous, yet they may not be sufficient for every individual for every nutrient.
Nevertheless, it is probably best not to exceed these recommendations by very
much or very often. Individual tolerances for high doses of nutrients vary, and
somewhere beyond the recommended intake is a point beyond which a nutrient
is likely to become toxic. This point is known as the Tolerable Upper Intake
Level (UL).