Additional Information

• What are the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs)?

  Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are recommendations for the intake of specific nutrients to maintain health and reduce risk of chronic disease. Also referred to as nutrient reference values, DRIs support all federal program, policy, and regulatory initiatives in the U.S. They also serve as a tool for nutrition professionals to assess nutritional status and plan healthful diets for individuals and groups. Additionally, DRIs are a resource for the development of dietary guidance for the general U.S. population.

• What exactly do DRIs cover?

  There are DRIs for protein, fats, carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, minerals, water, and estimated energy requirements.

• How are DRIs used?

  DRIs are used by a variety of people and programs. Some examples include:

  <ul>

  <li>Heath professionals—inform dietary counseling and education; meals served by institutions such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, and prisons.

  <li>Dietary guidance—inform the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), which are designed to meet the nutrient needs of individuals at various life stages based on DRI values (amounts and types of foods estimated based on age and sex, in nutrient-dense forms, from each of the five major food groups and their subgroups).

  <li>Food and nutrition assistance programs—inform school meals, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), SNAP, and more.

  <li>Nutrition Facts—inform labels that help consumers make healthier food choices.

  <li>Food and supplement industries—inform guidance for intake amounts.

  <li>Military—ensure nutrient needs are met for armed forces, meal planning, and procurement of food including military rations.

  <li>Nutrition research and monitoring—inform studies about how diet can help prevent risk of chronic disease; assess health on a national level.  

  <li>Food policies—inform national, state/province, and local food policies as well as wellness policies in schools.

  </ul>

• Are the DRIs only used in the U.S.?

  No. Canada relies on the DRIs to inform important food guidelines as well. The U.S. and Canada have collaborated since the mid-1990s to provide joint support for developing DRI values.

• How are the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine involved with the DRIs?

  In 1994, the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academies, an independent organization, appointed an expert committee and developed a new, broader set of dietary reference values known as the DRIs. The values were then published in a series of consensus reports released between 1994-2002.  

  The most recent updates to the DRIs were for calcium and vitamin D, released in 2011; sodium and potassium, released in 2019; and for energy, released in 2023. As with other National Academies projects, the DRI reports underwent vigorous peer review to ensure scientific quality and objectivity.

• How does the process of updating the DRIs work?

  All updates to the DRIs follow a framework that guides the study panel through steps to derive a nutrient intake value. The National Academies use established processes and procedures for all studies.   

  After a public nomination period, expert volunteer committees are vetted and appointed. The National Academies strive to involve individuals with differing backgrounds. Committee members serve as individual experts, not as representatives of organizations or interest groups. Study sponsors may offer suggestions, but they are not involved in selecting committee members.

  Once appointed, the committee gathers information through a variety of methods, including calls for public comment, reviews of scientific literature, and input from other sources, including experts outside the committee. In most cases, they do not conduct original scientific research. Ultimately, the committee’s collective recommendations or conclusions are published in a report which will be delivered to the sponsors and made available to the public.

  Learn more about the National Academies’ study process.

• What other reports have the National Academies completed about DRIs?

  Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy (2023)

  Scanning for New Evidence on Riboflavin to Support a Dietary Reference Intake Review (2021)

  Dietary Reference Intakes for Sodium and Potassium (2019)

  Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D (2011)

  The Development of DRIs 1994-2004: Lessons Learned and New Challenges: Workshop Summary (2008)

  Dietary Reference Intakes: The Essential Guide to Nutrient Requirements (2006)

  Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids (2005)

  Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate (2005)