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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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 | ||||||||
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.
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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 14-50 yrs | 3.0* | 175 | 28* | 71 | ND | NRR | ** | ** | 13* | 1.4* | NRR |
Lactation |
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| 14-50 yrs | 3.8* | 210 | 29 | 71 | ND | NRR | ** | ** | 13* | 1.3* | NRR |
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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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* |
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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
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.


