Dietary Reference Values (DRVs)

Question 1

Explain what nutritional requirements are

Answer 1

Requirements = amount of a nutrient an individual needs to consume to maintain health

Question 2

Are nutritional requirements the same for every individual?

Answer 2

Requirements vary between individuals

People of similar, ages, genders, and sizes will have similar requirements

Question 3

Use of dietary reference values

Answer 3

Used to help us plan healthy intakes

Used to evaluate dietary adequacy

Only consider healthy people

Are designed for use with groups of people

Question 4

How are nutritional requirements calculated/ used/ what are they not based on?

Answer 4

Are:

Specific to individuals

Can be similar if age, sex, size, body composition, and activity are similar

Variable based on genetics

Are not:

A population-level measure

Completely accurate - they are often as an estimate

Useful as a standalone measure - need extra information

Question 5

Why do we need reference values?

Answer 5

As a guide to achieving requirements:

Balance intake with needs

Balancing intake with loss

Maintaining or optimizing health

Question 6

Are nutritional requirements the same as dietary reference values?

Answer 6

No

Question 7

Explain what dietary reference values (DRVs) are

Answer 7

Provide a benchmark or a standard

To plan intake and evaluate dietary adequacy in HEALTHY groups

Based in the UK

Not for people who are ill or injured

Not used outside the UK

Not used for individuals

Question 8

Where do we find Dietary reference values?

Answer 8

COMA (Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy) now known as SACN (Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition)

NICE (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence)

ESPEN (the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism)

Question 9

What Dietary reference values do the UK use?

Give the full name of each abbreviation

Answer 9

EAR - Estimated average requirement

RNI - Reference nutrient intake

LRNI - lower reference nutrient intake

SI - Safe Intake

Question 10

What does EAR stand for?

Answer 10

Estimated average requirement

Question 11

What does RNI stand for?

Answer 11

Reference nutrient intake

Question 12

What does LRNI stand for?

Answer 12

Lower reference nutrient intake

Question 13

What does SI stand for?

Answer 13

Safe Intake

Question 14

Give the 4 UK Dietary Reference Values

Answer 14

EAR

RNI

LRNI

SI

Question 15

How are DRVs derived?

Answer 15

Statistical derivation based on the requirements of individuals within a population

Usually a normal distribution

Question 16

Describe where the RNI
(Reference nutrient intake) value lies on a bell shape curve and what it means

Answer 16

Far-right - flat part of the line

2.5% of the population would need more of THIS nutrient to meet their requirements

97.5% of the population before the flat part of the curve WOULD meet their requirement for THIs nutrient at this level

Question 17

What does the mean represent on a bell-shaped curve?

Answer 17

95% of the population

Question 18

Describe where the LRNI (lower reference nutrient intake) value lies on a bell-shaped curve and what it means

Answer 18

Far-left - flat part of the line

2.5% of the population WOULD already meet their requirements for THIS nutrient

97.5% of the population as the curve begins WOULD NOT meet their requirements for THIS nutrient

Question 19

Define EAR (estimated average requirement)

Answer 19

The estimated average nutrient requirement for energy (Protein, vitamin, or mineral) is about half the group will need more and half will need less of

Question 20

Define RNI (reference nutrient intake)

Answer 20

An amount of protein, vitamin, or mineral that is enough or more than enough for about 97.5% of the population of the people in a group. If the average intake of the group is at the RNI, the risk of deficiency in the group is very small

Question 21

Define LRNI (Lower reference nutrient intake)

Answer 21

An amount of protein, vitamin, or mineral that is enough for only the very few people about 2.5% of the population who have very low needs

Question 22

Define Safe Intake

Answer 22

A term used to indicate or range of intake of a nutrient for which there is not enough information to estimate EAR (estimated average requirement), RNI (Reference nutrient intake), or LRNI (Lower reference nutrient intake). It is an amount that is considered enough for almost everyone but not so large that it may cause undesirable side effects

Question 23

True or False only 50% of the population will require more than EAR (estimated average requirement)

Answer 23

True

Question 24

True or False only 2.5% of people require less than the LRNI (lower reference nutrient intake)

Answer 24

True

Question 25

True or false only 2.5% of people require more than the RNI (Reference nutrient intake)

Answer 25

True

Question 26

How is LRNI (Lower reference nutrient intake) calculated and what percentage of the population does this represent?

Answer 26

Mean - 2SD

2.5%

Question 27

How is RNI (Reference nutrient intake) calculated and what percentage of the population does this represent?

Answer 27

Mean + 2SD

97.5%