Reference Daily Intake
The Reference Daily Intake or Recommended Daily Intake (RDI) is the daily intake level of a nutrient that is considered to be sufficient to meet the requirements of 97–98% of healthy individuals in every demographic in the United States. While developed in USA it has been used in other countries though it is not universally accepted.
The RDI is used to determine the Daily Value (DV) of foods, which is printed on nutrition facts labels (as %DV) in the United States and Canada, and is regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Health Canada respectively.
The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) were a set of nutrition recommendations that evolved into both the Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) system of nutrition recommendations (which still defines RDA values) and the RDIs used for food labelling. The first regulations governing U.S. nutrition labels specified a % U.S. RDA declaration based on the current RDA values, which had been published in 1968. Later, the % U.S. RDA was renamed the %DV and the RDA values that the %DVs were based on became the RDIs.
The RDAs (and later the RDA values within the DRI) were regularly revised to reflect the latest scientific information, but although the nutrition labeling regulations were occasionally updated, the existing RDI values were not changed, so that until 2016 many of the DVs used on nutrition facts labels were still based on the outdated RDAs from 1968. In 2016 the Food and Drug Administration published changes to the regulations including updated RDIs and DVs based primarily on the RDAs in the current DRI. Larger manufacturers must start using the new labels by July 26, 2018 and all manufacturers must use the new values from July 26, 2019.
Food labeling reference tables
DVs used by the FDA for the following macronutrients are Daily Reference Values.[1][2][3]
FDA issued Final Rule on changes to facts panel in July 2016. See: https://s3.amazonaws.com/public-inspection.federalregister.gov/2016-11867. The new Daily Values are on pages 903-906. New values can be used on labels now, but companies have until July 28, 2018 to be in compliance. In the interim, products with old or new facts panel content will be on market shelves at same time.
The following table lists the old and new DVs based on a caloric intake of 2000 kcal (8400 kJ), for adults and children four or more years of age.
| Total fat | 65 g changed to 78 g |
| Saturated fatty acids | 20 g unchanged, stays 20 g |
| Cholesterol | 300 mg unchanged, stays 300 mg |
| Sodium | 2400 mg changed to 2300 mg |
| Potassium | 3500 mg changed to 4700 mg |
| Total carbohydrate | 300 g changed to 275 g |
| Added sugars | newly established at 50 g |
| Dietary fiber | 25 g changed to 28 g |
| Protein | 50 g unchanged, stays 50 g |
For vitamins and minerals, the old RDIs (old 100% Daily Values) are given in the following table, along with the more recent RDAs of the Dietary Reference Intakes (maximized over sex and age groups):[4]
| Nutrient | RDI | highest RDA or DRI |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin A | 900 μg | 900 μg |
| Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) | 60 mg | 90 mg |
| Calcium | 1000 mg | 1300 mg |
| Iron | 18 mg | 18 mg |
| Cholecalciferol (vitamin D) | 400 IU (10 μg) | 800 IU |
| Tocopherol (vitamin E) | 30 IU | 15 mg (33 IU of synthetic) |
| Vitamin K | 80 μg | 120 μg |
| Thiamin (vitamin B1) | 1.5 mg | 1.2 mg |
| Riboflavin (vitamin B2) | 1.7 mg | 1.3 mg |
| Niacin (vitamin B3) | 20 mg | 16 mg |
| Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) | 2 mg | 1.7 mg |
| Folate | 400 μg | 400 μg |
| Cobalamine (vitamin B12) | 6 μg | 2.4 μg |
| Biotin | 300 μg | 30 μg |
| Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) | 10 mg | 5 mg |
| Phosphorus | 1000 mg | 1250 mg |
| Iodine | 150 μg | 150 μg |
| Magnesium | 400 mg | 420 mg |
| Zinc | 15 mg | 11 mg |
| Selenium | 70 μg | 55 μg |
| Copper | 2000 μg | 900 μg |
| Manganese | 2 mg | 2.3 mg |
| Chromium | 120 μg | 35 μg |
| Molybdenum | 75 μg | 45 μg |
| Chloride | 3400 mg | 2300 mg |
History
The RDI is derived from the RDAs, which were first developed during World War II by Lydia J. Roberts, Hazel Stiebeling and Helen S. Mitchell, all part of a committee established by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences to investigate issues of nutrition that might "affect national defense" (Nestle, 35). The committee was renamed the Food and Nutrition Board in 1941, after which they began to deliberate on a set of recommendations of a standard daily allowance for each type of nutrient. The standards would be used for nutrition recommendations for the armed forces, for civilians, and for overseas population who might need food relief. Roberts, Stiebeling, and Mitchell surveyed all available data, created a tentative set of allowances for "energy and eight nutrients", and submitted them to experts for review (Nestle, 35). The final set of guidelines, called RDAs for Recommended Dietary Allowances, were accepted in 1941. The allowances were meant to provide superior nutrition for civilians and military personnel, so they included a "margin of safety". Because of food rationing during the war, the food guides created by government agencies to direct citizens' nutritional intake also took food availability into account.
The Food and Nutrition Board subsequently revised the RDAs every five to ten years. In 1973, the FDA introduced regulations to specify the format of nutrition labels when present, although the inclusion of such labels was largely voluntary, only being required if nutrition claims were made or if nutritional supplements were added to the food. The nutrition labels were to include percent U.S. RDA based on the 1968 RDAs in effect at the time. The RDAs continued to be updated (in 1974, 1980 and 1989) but the values specified for nutrition labelling remained unchanged.[5]
In 1993 the FDA published new regulations mandating the inclusion of a nutrition facts label on most packaged foods. Originally the FDA had proposed replacing the percent U.S. RDAs with percent daily values based on the 1989 RDAs but the Dietary Supplement Act of 1992 prevented it from doing so. Instead it introduced the RDI to be the basis of the new daily values. The RDI consisted of the existing U.S. RDA values (still based on the 1968 RDAs as the FDA was not allowed to change them at the time) and new values for additional nutrients not included in the 1968 RDAs.[5]
In 1997, at the suggestion of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy, the RDAs became one part of a broader set of dietary guidelines called the Dietary Reference Intake used by both the United States and Canada. As part of the DRI, the RDAs continued to be updated.
In 2016, the FDA was finally able to update the regulations to change the RDI and daily values to reflect current scientific information. Until this time, the daily values were still largely based on the 1968 RDAs. The new regulations make several other changes to the nutrition facts label intended to make it easier for consumers to understand the calorie and nutrient content of their foods, emphasizing nutrients of current concern. The revision to the regulations came into effect on 26 July 2016 and larger manufacturers must comply within two years while smaller manufacturers must comply by 26 July 2019.[6][5][7]
Sodium
The daily maximum for sodium is higher in the U.S. than in other parts of the developed world,[citation needed] and is above estimated minimums.[8][9] For instance, the National Research Council (United States) has found that 500 mg of sodium per day (approximately 1.25 g of table salt) is a safe minimum level.[10] In the United Kingdom, the daily allowance for salt is 6 g (approximately 2.5 teaspoons, about the upper limit in the U.S.), but this is still considered "too high".[11][12]
See also
- Canada's Food Guide
- Dietary mineral
- Dietary Reference Intake
- Dietary Reference Values (United Kingdom)
- Essential amino acid
- Essential fatty acid
- Essential nutrient
- Food guide pyramid
- Healthy diet
- Nutrient
- Vitamins
References
- ^ "Information for Consumers (Drugs)". fda.gov. 2008-10-29. Retrieved 2011-03-30.
- ^ "Electronic Code of Federal Regulations:". ecfr.gpoaccess.gov. Retrieved 2011-03-30.
- ^ "Guidance for Industry: A Food Labeling Guide (14. Appendix F: Calculate the Percent Daily Value for the Appropriate Nutrients)". U.S. Food and Drug Administration. January 2013. Retrieved 23 September 2015.
- ^ "Council for Responsible Nutrition". crnusa.org. Retrieved 2011-03-30.
- ^ a b c Institute of Medicine (2010). "2 History of Nutrition Labeling". Front-of-Package Nutrition Rating Systems and Symbols: Phase I Report. The National Academies Press. doi:10.17226/12957. Retrieved 2017-01-18.
- ^ "Changes to the Nutrition Facts Label". FDA Labeling and Nutrition. United States Food and Drug Administration. 20 May 2016. Retrieved 20 May 2016.
- ^ "Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels". Federal Register. May 27, 2016. 81 FR 33741.
- ^ "IOM Salt Reduction Strategies Report". National Academy of Science. 2010-04-20. Retrieved 2011-03-30.
- ^ "Statement from the National High Blood Pressure Education Program". nhlbi.nih.gov. 1999-10-14. Retrieved 2011-03-30.
- ^ "Recommended Dietary Allowances: 10th Edition". nap.edu. Retrieved 2011-03-30.
- ^ "Daily salt intake allowances 'were set too high'". BBC News. 2009-11-25. Retrieved 2011-03-30.
- ^ "Health | Britons told to cut salt intake". BBC News. 2004-09-13. Retrieved 2011-03-30.