The 2005 DRIs for Energy, Macronutrients, and Dietary Cholesterol - An Overview of the Process and a Focus on Fats

Issued in 2005, the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for energy, macronutrients (including dietary fiber) and cholesterol were set using the standard reference values for nutrients and established a new reference value, the Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR).  The AMDR is a range of intake for protein, fat, or carbohydrate (CHO), expressed as a percentage of total energy that is associated with reduced risk of chronic disease while providing adequate intakes of essential nutrients.  The AMDRs for protein, fat and CHO are 10-35%, 20-35%, and 45-65% of energy, respectively.  The AMDR for linoleic acid is 5-10% and for a-linolenic acid (ALA) it is 0.6-1.2% of energy.  Although there is no DRI for EPA and DHA, the recommendation is that approximately, 10% of the AMDR for ALA can be consumed as EPA and/or DHA.  Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) have been set for dietary CHO and protein.  Adequate Intakes (AI) have been defined for dietary fiber and fat (including linoleic acid and ALA).  The recommendation for saturated fat SFA), trans fat and dietary cholesterol is to consume as little as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet.  Based on a menu analysis in the 2005 DRI report, the minimum SFA intake that can be achieved in a nutritionally adequate diet that provides 20%, 25%, 30% and 35% of energy is 2.8%, 3.6%, 4.3% and 5.0% of energy, respectively.