NUTRIENT INTAKES

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Daily Recommended Nutrient Intakes (DRIs)

These tables present Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and Adequate Intakes (AIs) recommended by the USDA to maintain a healthy diet.


 

Estimated Calorie Requirements

Activity Level (b, c, d)
  Sedentary (b) Moderately Active (c) Active (d)
       
Child      
2-3 yrs 1,000 1,000-1,400e 1,000-1,400(e)

Female
     
4-8 yrs 1,200 1,400-1,600 1,400-1,800
9-13 yrs 1,600 1,600-2,000 1,800-2,200
14-18 yrs 1,800 2,000 2,400
19-30 yrs 2,000 2,000-2,200 2,400
31-50 yrs 1,800 2,000 2,200
51+ yrs 1,600 1,800 2,000-2,200

Males
     
4-8 yrs 1,400 1,400-1,600 1,600-2,000
9-13 yrs 1,800 1,800-2,200 2,000-2,600
14-18 yrs 2,200 2,400-2,800 2,800-3,200
19-30 yrs 2,400 2,600-2,800 3,000
31-50 yrs 2,200 2,400-2,600 2,800-3,000
51+ yrs 2,000 2,200-2,400 2,400-2,800

 

Notes for this Table (including: b, c, d, e)

These levels are based on Estimated Energy Requirements (EER) from the Institute of Medicine Dietary Reference Intakes macronutrients report, 2002, calculated by gender, age, and activity level for reference-sized individuals. “Reference size,” as determined by IOM, is based on median height and weight for ages up to age 18 years of age and median height and weight for that height to give a BMI of 21.5 for adult females and 22.5 for adult males.

b Sedentary means a lifestyle that includes only the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.

c Moderately active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking about 1.5 to 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life

d Active means a lifestyle that includes physical activity equivalent to walking more than 3 miles per day at 3 to 4 miles per hour, in addition to the light physical activity associated with typical day-to-day life.

e The calorie ranges shown are to accommodate needs of different ages within the group. For children and adolescents, more calories are needed at older ages. For adults, fewer calories are needed at older ages.

 
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Macronutrients

                       
  Total Water
(liters/d)
Carbs
(gm/d)
Dietary Fiber
(gm/d)
Protein
(gm/d)
Total Fat
(gm/d)
Saturated Fat(gm/d) Monoun-
saturated Fat(gm/d)
Polyun-
saturated Fat(gm/d)
Omega 6
(gm/d)
Omega 3
(gm/d)
Cholesterol
(gm/d)
                       
Infants                      
0-6 mos 0.7* 60* ND 9.1* 31* NRR ** ** 4.4* 0.5* NRR
7-12 mos 0.8* 95* ND 11.0 30* NRR ** ** 4.6* 0.5* NRR

Children
                     
1-3 yrs 1.3* 130 19* 13 ND NRR ** ** 7* 0.7* NRR
4-8 yrs 1.7* 130 25* 19 ND NRR ** ** 10* 0.9* NRR

Males
                     
9-13 yrs 2.4* 130 31* 34 ND NRR ** ** 12* 1.2* NRR
14-18 yrs 3.3* 130 38* 52 ND NRR ** ** 16* 1.6* NRR
19-50 yrs 3.7* 130 38* 56 ND NRR ** ** 17* 1.6* NRR
51+ yrs 3.7* 130 30* 56 ND NRR ** ** 14* 1.6* NRR

Females
                     
9-13 yrs 2.1* 130 26* 34 ND NRR ** ** 10* 1.0* NRR
14-18 yrs 2.3* 130 26* 46 ND NRR ** ** 11* 1.1* NRR
19-50 yrs 2.7* 130 25* 46 ND NRR ** ** 12* 1.1* NRR
51+ yrs 2.7* 130 21* 46 ND NRR ** ** 11* 1.1* NRR

Pregnancy
                     
14-50 yrs 3.0* 175 28* 71 ND NRR ** ** 13* 1.4* NRR

Lactation
                     
14-50 yrs 3.8* 210 29 71 ND NRR ** ** 13* 1.3* NRR

 

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Vitamins

                       
  Vit C
(mg/d)
Vit D
(mcg/d)
Thiamin
(mg/d)
Riboflavin
(mg/d)
Niacin
(mg/d)
Folate
(mcg/d)
Vit B6
(mg/d)
Vit B12
(mcg/d)
Vit A
(mcg/d)
Vit E
(mg/d)
Vit K
(mcg/d)
                       
Infants                      
0-6 mos 40* 10 0.2* 0.3* 2* 65* 0.1* 0.4* 400* 4* 2.0*
7-12 mos 50* 10 0.3* 0.4* 4* 80* 0.3* 0.5* 500* 5* 2.5*

Children
                     
1-3 yrs 15 15 0.5 0.5 6 150 0.5 0.9 300 6 30*
4-8 yrs 25 15 0.6 0.6 8 200 0.6 1.2 400 7 55*

Males
                     
9-13 yrs 45 11 0.9 0.9 12 300 1.0 1.8 600 11 60*
14-18 yrs 75 15 1.2 1.3 16 400 1.3 2.4 900 15 75*
19-50 yrs 90 15 1.2 1.3 16 400 1.3 2.4 900 15 120*
51+ yrs 90 15 1.2 1.3 16 400 1.7 2.4 900 15 120*

Females
                     
9-13 yrs 45 11 0.9 0.9 12 300 1.0 1.8 600 11 60*
14-18 yrs 65 15 1.0 1.0 14 400 1.2 2.4 700 15 75*
19-50 yrs 75 15 1.1 1.1 14 400 1.3 2.4 700 15 90*
51+ yrs 75 15 1.1 1.1 14 400 1.5 2.4 700 15 90*

Pregnancy
                     
14-18 yrs 80 15 1.4 1.4 18 600 1.9 2.6 750 15 75*
19-50 yrs 85 15 1.4 1.4 18 600 1.9 2.6 770 15 90*

Lactation
                     
14-18 yrs 115 15 1.4 1.6 17 500 2.0 2.8 1,200 19 75*
19-50 yrs 120 15 1.4 1.6 17 500 2.0 2.8 1,300 19 90*

 

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Minerals

                     
  Calcium***
(mg/d)
Iron
(mg/d)
Magnesium
(mg/d)
Phosphorus
(mg/d)
Potass-
ium (mg/d)
Sodium
(mg/d)
Zinc
(mg/d)
Copper
(mcg/d)
Manganese
(mg/d)
Selenium
(mcg/d)
                     
Infants                    
0-6 mos 200* 0.27* 30* 100* 400* 120* 2* 200* 0.003* 15*
7-12 mos 260* 11 75* 275* 700* 370* 3 220* 0.6* 20*

Children
                   
1-3 yrs 700 7 80 460 3000* 1000* 3 340 1.2* 20
4-8 yrs 1,000 10 130 500 3800* 1200* 5 440 1.5* 30

Males
                   
9-13 yrs 1,300 8 240 1,250 4500* 1500* 8 700 1.9* 40
14-18 yrs 1,300 11 410 1,250 4700* 1500* 11 890 2.2* 55
19-30 yrs 1,000 8 400 700 4700* 1500* 11 900 2.3* 55
31-50 yrs 1,000 8 420 700 4700* 1500* 11 900 2.3* 55
51-70 yrs 1,000 8 420 700 4700* 1300* 11 900 2.3* 55
> 70 yrs 1,200 8 420 700 4700* 1200* 1 900 2.3* 55

Females
                   
9-13 yrs 1,300 8 240 1,250 4500* 1500* 8 700 1.6* 40
14-18 yrs 1,300 15 360 1,250 4700* 1500* 9 890 1.6* 55
19-30 yrs 1,000 18 310 700 4700* 1500* 8 900 1.8* 55
31-50 yrs 1,000 18 320 700 4700* 1500* 8 900 1.8* 55
51-70 yrs 1,200 8 320 700 4700* 1300* 8 900 1.8* 55
> 70 yrs 1,200 8 320 700 4700* 1200* 8 900 1.8* 55

Pregnancy
                   
14-18 yrs 1,300 27 400 1,250 4700* 1500* 12 1,000 2.0* 60
19-30 yrs 1,000 27 350 700 4700* 1500* 11 1,000 2.0* 60
31-50 yrs 1,000 27 360 700 4700* 1500* 11 1,000 2.0* 60

Lactation
                   
14-18 yrs 1,300 10 360 1,250 5500* 1500* 13 1,300 2.6* 70
19-30 yrs 1,000 9 310 700 5500* 1500* 12 1,300 2.6* 70
31-50 yrs 1,000 9 320 700 5500* 1500* 12 1,300 2.6* 70

 

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 DRI Notes:

RDAs and AIs may both be used as goals for individual intake. RDAs are set to meet the needs of almost all (97 to 98 percent) individuals in a group. For healthy breastfed infants, the AI is the mean intake. The AI for other life stage and gender groups is believed to cover the needs of all individuals in the group, but lack of data or uncertainty in the data prevent being able to specify with confidence the percentage of individuals covered by this intake.

* Adequate Intakes

** Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats are the two unsaturated fats. They’re found mainly in many fish, nuts, seeds and oils from plants. Some examples of foods that contain these fats include salmon, trout, herring, avocados, olives, walnuts and liquid vegetable oils such as soybean, corn, safflower, canola, olive and sunflower.

Both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats may help lower your blood cholesterol level when you use them in place of saturated and trans fats. Keep total fat intake between 25 and 35 percent of calories, with most fats coming from sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids such as fish, nuts and vegetable oils.

*** The calcium intake recommendations are based on very short-term studies, and are likely to be higher than what people really need.

Vitamin D recommendations are under the assumption minimal sunlight exposure exists. 10 minutes in the sun will produce approx. 10,000 IUs of the vitamin.

Key:

mg = milligrams
mcg = micrograms
d = day

ND = Not determinable due to lack of data of adverse effects in this age group and concern with regard to lack of ability to handle excess amounts.

NRR = No required role for these nutrients other than as energy sources was identified; the body can synthesize its needs for saturated fatty acids and cholesterol from other sources. There is an incremental increase in plasma total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations with increased intake of saturated or trans fatty acids or with cholesterol at even very low levels in the diet. Therefore, the intakes of each should be minimized while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet

Sources:

These reports may be accessed via http://www.nap.edu.
Institute of Medicine – www.iom.edu.