The Dietary Reference Intakes - a contribution to the international harmonization of nutrient recommendations

For the first time the US Food and Nutrition Board and Health Canada have e stablished common Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for North America. DRIs include four reference values: Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), Recomme nded Dietary Allowance (RDA), Acceptable Daily Intake (AI) and Tolerable Up per Intake Level (UL). They are used for planning adequate nutrient intakes or assessing the adequacy of intakes of various population groups. To date , two prepublications have been issued: one for calcium and its related nut rients and one - most recently - for B-vitamins and choline. In Europe, recommendations of nutrient intakes vary considerably In view of their sound scientific basis, the new Dietary Reference Intakes might be u seful guidelines for a revision and reassessment of the recommendations in Germany and other European countries and even promote the international har monization of nutrient-based reference values.