Foodwatch | Nutrient Reference Values

Nutrient Reference Values

In 2006, the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) released a set of revised Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) for Australia and New Zealand. This is the first revision in 16 years and provides a more comprehensive guide to the suggested intake of over 30 essential nutrients . These figures will help dietitians, nutritionists and other health professionals accurately assess the dietary needs of individuals and groups.

This update was a joint project between the Australian Government's Department of Health and Ageing, the National Health and Medical Research Council and the Ministry of Health in New Zealand. Begun in 1997, they replace Recommended Dietary Intakes (RDIs) in Australia which were last revised in 1991.

Four different values

In place of the older RDIs, the new NRVs embrace 4 different values for each nutrient instead of just one single value.:

1. Estimated Average Requirement (EAR)
A daily nutrient intake level needed to meet the requirements of half the healthy individuals in a particular age, life stage or gender.

2. Recommended Dietary Intake (RDI)
The average daily dietary intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97-98%) healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group. These figures are derived from the EAR.

3. Adequate Intake (AI)
Use this number when an RDI cannot be determined. It represents the average daily nutrient intake level based on observed or experimental estimates of nutrient intake by a group of apparently healthy people that are assumed to be adequate.

4. Upper Limit (UL)
This is the highest average daily intake likely to pose NO adverse health effects to almost all individuals in the general population.

There are also a new set of Suggested Dietary Targets (SDTs), a higher intake of nutrients that may prevent or reduce the risk of chronic disease such as heart disease, certain cancers or high blood pressure.

What's changed?

New vitamin and mineral figures
We now have 14 new nutrients with RDIs or AIs bringing the total figures to 33 compared to 19 in the previous set:

• Water
• Linoleic acid
• Alpha-linolenic acid
• Long chain omega-3 fats
• Dietary fibre
• Vitamin D
• Vitamin K
• Fluoride
• pantothenic acid
• Biotin
• Chromium
• Copper
• Molybdenum
• Choline

Major nutrients that have increased:

Four key nutrients have been increased - this will change our suggestions to the public over how much to eat.

• folate has doubled with the new RDI rising to 400micrgraims for women and men of all age groups (400mcg was previously set for women pre-conception only).
• calcium has increased by 200-500mg for both men and women. RDIs are now 1000-1300mg which means 4-5 serves of dairy a day.
• The iron range for women has increased and is now 8-18mg compared to 12-16mg previously. The men's RDI has increased by 1mg to 8mg.
• zinc is no longer one RDI for both men and women. The RDI for men has increased by 2mg, from 12mg to 14mg.

Major nutrients that have decreased:

• Sodium's range of intake has been reduced with the upper limit going down from 2300mg to 920mg, a decrease of 1380mg. Considering the average intake of sodium is over 4000mg at present, how we are going to get our salt intake down this far is anyone's guess.
• The RDI for zinc for women, has decreased by 4mg - from 12mg to 8mg.

What this means

These new recommendations will mean lots of data will have to be changed:

• Publications (books, magazines, websites, etc.)
• Manufacturers (labels will have to change, fortification levels will change)
• Consumers - who will have to work harder to get their calcium and folate up and keep their sodium levels down
• Claims made on supplements (eg, how much of your day's intake a tablet supplies)

We have prepared a table for you which shows - at a glance - the list of new figures for vitamins and minerals for adults. All figures are the RDI and where this is not given, then the AI is listed instead. Print it out and keep on file for future use.

Website links

You can download the full report, expert summary and Evidence Appendix (note that these large pdf files) at www.nhmrc.gov.au
or
the direct link is http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/publications/synopses/n35syn.htm

Full reference

Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand including Recommended Dietary Intakes, NHMRC 2006.