Nutrient Requirements Flashcards
What are DRV’s?
A series of estimates of the amount of energy and nutrients needed by different groups of healthy people in the UK population
What type of people are DRV’s aimed at?
Healthy people
What is the first type of estimate?
Reference Nutrient Intakes (RNI)
What is RNI used for?
Protein, vitamins and minerals
Estimate of the amount that should meet the needs of most of the groups to which they apply
What is the second estimate?
Estimated Average Requirements (EAR)
What is EAR used for?
For energy
50% of the population will require more and 50% require less
What is the third estimate?
Lower Reference Nutrient Intake (LRNI)
What is LRNI used for?
Not enough for most people, for people who have a low requirement
When is safe intake used?
When there is insufficient evidence to set an RNI, EAR, LRNI
What are nutritional requirements?
The amount of each nutrient needed/ required
How do they differ/ vary?
Each nutrient has a different function and larger amounts of certain nutrients are required
Give examples of how different nutrients are needed in different quantities:
Protein is needed in grams
Vitamin C is needed in milligrams
Individual requirements of each nutrient are related to a person’s …
Age Gender Level of physical activity State of health Utilisation of nutrients Absorption of nutrients
What does COMA stand for?
Committee On Medical Aspects of food and nutrition policy
Who has COMA now been superseded by?
SACN - Scientific Advisory Committee on nutrition
What nutrients are they reviewing first?
Those that cause concern such as Iron, selenium, folate and vitamin D
What are the main population groups that have been set?
Males/ Females
Why were SACN asked to review energy requirements?
The evidence base has moved on substantially and the levels of overweight and obesity in the UK has risen sharply
What are the EAR for pregnant women?
Increases by 0.8 a day but only in the final 3 months of pregnancy
When planning a diet for a group what should the aim be?
The RNI should be used
What are the EAR for energy used on?
Present lifestyle and activity levels in the UK
They are based on current activity levels - low
EAR’s for higher and lower levels
Why do some individuals become obese?
Take in more energy than they burn of leading to weight gain
Why is there a concern that many children are now obese?
They will have a shorter life expectancy
They are at risk of developing diseases such as CVD, Diabetes
Why is being active a good choice if you want to lose weight rather than cutting down on food intake?
Reduces risk of going short on certain nutrients
What is the first use of DRV’S and EAR’S?
For food labelling
What are the new regulations on food labelling?
Must provide information on energy, total fat, saturated fat, carbs, sugars, protein and salt
What is the 2nd use of DRV’s and EAR’s?
Guide the consumer on what to eat and help them make healthy dietary choices
What is the 3rd use of DRV’s and EAR’s?
Targets for nutrient intake at population level
These are estimates not exact recommendations
Show the amount of nutrients that specific groups of people need for good health
What is the 4th use of DRV’s and EAR’s?
Nutrient recommendations are typically targets for the nutrient intakes of an individual
What is the 5th use of DRV’s and EAR’s?
The distribution of nutrient intakes among the population is considered more important than a fixed recommended intake level
What is the 6th use of DRV’s and EAR’s?
They are for use of the healthcare professional and policymakers
Why is this?
It is difficult to apply to individual diets
What is the 7th use of DRV’s and EAR’s?
Considered in the setting of regulations for feeding programs
e.g. those with dietary disorders
For use in setting standards for feeding in group facilities (nursing homes, prisons)
What is the 8th use of DRV’s and EAR’s?
When evaluating diets in relation to energy it should be noted that the recommendation for energy is in the form of an EAR as it will vary between individuals due to differences in energy output and BMR.
What does this mean?
Each individual uses different amounts of energy due to lifestyle and occupations.
