The Development of the Dietary Reference Intakes
Origin of the DRIs
History of Nutrition standards in North America
1939 First dietary standards in Canada issued
by the Canadian Council on Nutrition.
1941 First edition of the Recommended Dietary
Allowances (RDAs) published in the United States.
1942 Canadian Council on Nutrition adopts
the RDAs for the sake of uniformity.
1945 Because of misuse of the RDAs in evaluating
group intakes, the Canadian Council on Nutrition advises discontinuing
their use in Canada. A new Canadian standard is released.
1948-1990 Standards periodically updated
and released based on cumulative scientific data. The 1983 version was
the first to be called the "Recommended Nutrient Intakes".
1989 10th edition of the RDAs
published by the U.S. National Research Council.
1990 Health Canada (formerly Health and Welfare
Canada) publishes revised Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs).
The DRI process begins
1993 The Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) of
the Institute of Medicine (IOM), National Academy of Sciences, holds symposium
and public hearing entitled "Should the Recommended Dietary Allowances
Be Revised?". Based on comments and suggestions from this meeting,
FNB proposes changes to the process of developing the RDAs.
1994 FNB publishes the concept paper "How
Should the Recommended Dietary Allowances Be Revised?" (IOM, 1994)
and holds workshops at which experts discuss development of nutrient-based
reference values.
April 1995 Multisectoral Canadian symposium
reviews pros and cons of harmonizing Canada's dietary standards with those
of US and reaches consensus in support of harmonization.
As a result, Health Canada approaches FNB to collaborate on development
of harmonized nutrient-based recommendations.
Dec. 1995 FNB begins close collaboration
with Health Canada.
Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference Intakes
appointed to oversee and conduct the project.
Standing Committee devises project structure that involves expert nutrient
group panels and two overarching subcommittees. Standing Committee announces
that seven expert nutrient group panels would review major nutrients,
vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, electrolytes, and other food components.
1996 Subcommittee on Upper Reference Levels
of Nutrients established.
First nutrient panel, on calcium and related nutrients, established.
DRI reports published
1997 IOM issues first nutrient report, on
calcium and related nutrients.
1998 Subcommittee on Interpretation and Uses
of Dietary Reference Intakes established.
1998-2003 Reports released on B vitamins;
antioxidants; micronutrients; macronutrients; applications in assessment;
applications in planning; risk assessment model for developing ULs; definition
and plan for review of antioxidants; and definition of dietary fibre.
2005 FNB expects to have completed the Dietary
Reference Intakes project.
DRI Project Structure
The following committee structure is in place at the US Food and Nutrition
Board (FNB) of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences.
The FNB has appointed qualified Canadian nutrition scientists at each
of these levels.
The structure includes :
- Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference
Intakes
- Expert Nutrient Review Panels
- Subcommittees
View
the Standing
Committee Project Structure organizational chart
Standing Committee on the Scientific Evaluation of Dietary Reference
Intakes
The Standing Committee oversees the entire process.
- It coordinates recommendations from the specific nutrient panels
and the two subcommittees and is responsible for overall review of the
recommendations and their rationale before the final reports are developed.
- It submits the final reports to the National Research Council Report
Review Committee as they become available.
The final stage involves external review by American and Canadian scientists
before the reports are released. The process includes at least one public
meeting to obtain input from a broad range of organizations and experts,
and invites input from federal agencies, industry, academia, public interest
groups, professional organizations and others.
Expert Nutrient Review Panels
The nutrient group panels, composed of experts on one or more of the
nutrients, are responsible for:
- reviewing the scientific literature concerning specific nutrients
under study for each life-stage;
- considering the roles of nutrients in decreasing the risk of chronic
diseases and health conditions;
- evaluating possible criteria or indicators of adequacy and providing
a rationale for the choice of each criterion;
- estimating the average requirement for each nutrient or food component
reviewed for each life-stage; and
- interpreting the current data on nutrient intakes of North American
population groups.
The Nutrient Groups
- calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, magnesium, fluoride
- folate and other B vitamins
- antioxidants (e.g. vitamins C and E, selenium)
- micronutrients (e.g. iron, zinc)
- energy and macronutrients (e.g. protein, fat, carbohydrates)
- electrolytes and water
- other food components (e.g. phytoestrogens)
Subcommittees
The Subcommittee on Upper Reference Levels of Nutrients:
- Is composed of experts in toxicology and nutrition.
- Utilizes a risk assessment model for estimating tolerable upper levels
of nutrients at which little or no risk of toxicity or adverse effects
would exist. The model includes two parallel efforts, hazard identification
(including doseBresponse assessment) and exposure assessment, the results
of which are synthesized to characterize risks presented by contemporary
intake levels and evaluate intake trends.
- Assists the nutrient group panels in applying the model to each nutrient
or food component reviewed.
The Subcommittee on Interpretation and Uses of Dietary
Reference Intakes:
- Is composed of experts in nutrition, dietetics, statistics, nutritional
epidemiology, public health, economics and consumer perspectives
- Provides guidance for the appropriate use of each of the DRI values
in:
- assessing nutrient intakes of individuals and of groups
- planning diets for individuals and for groups
- other nutrient-specific applications
- Identifies inappropriate applications, appropriate assumptions regarding
intake and requirement distributions and adjustments needed to minimize
potential errors in dietary intake data.
- Assists the nutrient group panels in applying the DRIs with each
nutrient or food component reviewed.
Completed DRI Reports
The DRI Reports
The full series of DRI reports is being developed over a span of time,
with the first report released in 1997 and the final report expected in
2005. Reports describing the use of the DRIs in dietary assessment and
dietary planning have also been published.
For a list of reports that have been published and those that are anticipated,
including links to the available online versions, see the Dietary
Reference Intake Report List.
Scientific Articles
To help health professionals understand the DRIs, articles are also being
published in scientific journals.
© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada
(2003). All rights reserved.
Cat. H44-47/2003E-HTML
ISBN 0-662-34956-3
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