Recommended dietary allowance
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)
Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), pronounced /ɹɪˈkɑːmɛndɪd daɪəˈtɛɹi əˈlaʊəns/, is a benchmark used by health professionals to determine the amount of specific nutrients needed for a healthy diet. The term originates from the English words "recommend", "diet", and "allowance", indicating a suggestion for dietary intake.
History
The concept of the RDA was first introduced by the National Academy of Sciences in the United States during World War II to investigate issues of nutrition that might "affect national defense". The first RDAs were established by the Food and Nutrition Board in 1941.
Purpose
The RDA is designed to provide the average daily dietary intake level of a nutrient considered sufficient to meet the requirements of nearly all (97–98 percent) healthy individuals in each life-stage and sex group. The RDA is used as a guide for designing nutrition programs and policies and dietary guidelines.
Calculation
The RDA for each nutrient is determined by the Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine (IOM), now known as the Health and Medicine Division (HMD) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The RDA is calculated based on the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), which is the intake level for a nutrient at which the needs of 50 percent of the population will be met.
Related Terms
- Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)
- Adequate Intake (AI)
- Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)
- Dietary Reference Intake (DRI)
See Also
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