Dietary Reference Intakes

Food and Nutrition Board, Institute of Medicine - National Academy of Sciences
Dietary Reference Intakes: Recommended levels for individual intake (a)

Life-

Stage

Group

Infants

0-6 mo.

210*

100*

30*

0.01*

0.2*

0.3*

0.1*

65*

0.4*

1.7*

125*

7-12 mo.

270*

275*

75*

0.5*

0.3*

0.4*

0.3*

80*

0.5*

1.8*

150*

Children

1-3 y

500*

460

0.7*

0.5

150

0.9

200*

4-8 y

800*

500

130

0.6

200

1.2

12*

250*

Males

9-13 y

1,300*

1,250

240

0.9

1.0

300

1.8

20*

375*

14-18 y

1,300*

1,250

410

1.2

1.3

400

2.4

25*

550*

19-30 y

1,000*

700

400

1.2

1.3

400

2.4

30*

550*

31-50 y

1,000*

700

420

1.2

1.3

400

2.4

30*

550*

51-70 y

1,200*

700

420

10*

1.2

1.3

1.7

400

2.4 (g)

30*

550*

> 70 y

1,200*

700

420

15*

1.2

1.3

1.7

400

2.4 (g)

30*

550*

Females

9-13 y

1,300*

1,250

240

0.9

1.0

300

1.8

20*

375*

14-18 y

1,300*

1,250

360

1.0

1.2

400 (h)

2.4

25*

400*

19-30 y

1,000*

700

310

1.1

1.3

400 (h)

2.4

30*

425*

31-50 y

1,000*

700

320

1.1

1.3

400 (h)

2.4

30*

425*

51-70 y

1,200*

700

320

10*

1.1

1.5

400

2.4 (g)

30*

425*

> 70 y

1,200*

700

320

15*

1.1

1.5

400

2.4 (g)

30*

425*

Pregnancy

< 18 y

1,300*

1,250

400

1.4

1.9

600 (i)

2.6

30*

450*

19-30 y

1,000*

700

350

1.4

1.9

600 (i)

2.6

30*

450*

31-50 y

1,000*

700

360

1.4

1.9

600 (i)

2.6

30*

450*

Lactation

< 18 y

1,300*

1,250

360

1.5

1.6

2.0

500

2.8

35*

550*

19-30 y

1,000*

700

310

1.5

1.6

2.0

500

2.8

35*

550*

31-50 y

1,000*

700

320

1.5

1.6

2.0

500

2.8

35*

550*

(a) Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) are presented in bold type and Adequate Intakes (AIs) in ordinary type followed by an asterisk (*). 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%) individuals in a group. For healthy breast-fed infants, the AI is the mean intake. The AI for other life-stage and gender groups is believed to cover 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 persons covered by this intake. Source: The Natural Academy of Sciences, Copyright 1998.

(d) As niacin equivalents (NE). 1 mg niacin = 60 mg tryptothan; 0 to 6 mo = preformed niacin (not NE).

(e) As dietary folate equivalent (DFE). 1 DFE = 1 µg food folate = 0.6 µg folic acid (from fortified food or supplement) consumed with food = 0.5 µg synthetic (supplemental) folic acid taken on an empty stomach.

(f) Although AIs have been set for choline, there are few data to assess whether a dietary supply of choline is needed at all stages of the life cycle, and it may be that the choline requirement can be met by endogenous synthesis at some of these stages.

(g) Because 10% to 30% of older people may malabsorb food-bound vitamin B-12, it is advisable for those older than 50 years to meet their RDA mainly by consuming foods fortified with vitamin B-12 or a supplement containing vitamin B-12.

(h) In view of evidence linking folate intake with neural tube defects in the fetus, it is recommended that all women capable of becoming pregnant consume 400 µg synthetic folic acid from fortified foods and/or supplements in addition to intake of food folate from a varied diet.

(i) It is assumed that women will continue consuming 400 µg folic acid until their pregnancy is confirmed and they enter prenatal care, which ordinarily occurs after the end of the periconceptional period- the critical time for formation of the neural tube.