TABLE 1.

Current and potential methods for calculating DVs for micronutrients¹

	Current DVs	Potential DVs
	1968 RDAs	1997–2011 DRIs: EARs	1997–2011 DRIs: RDAs
Definition	Level of intake judged to be adequate to meet the known nutrient needs of practically all healthy persons in a specific age-gender group	The average daily nutrient intake level that is estimated to meet the requirements of half of the healthy individuals in a particular life-stage and gender group	The average daily dietary nutrient intake level that is sufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of nearly all (97–98%) healthy individuals in a particular life-stage and gender group
Derivation of a single reference value (i.e., a DV)	Population-coverage approach:	Population-coverage approach:	Population-coverage approach:
	• Generally the highest RDA value among those established for the age-gender groups	• Highest EAR value among those established for the life-stage and gender groups	• Highest RDA value among those established for the life-stage and gender groups
		Or	Or
		Population-weighted approach:	Population-weighted approach:
		• Life-stage– and gender-specific EARs multiplied by the U.S. Census Bureau population projection for the corresponding life-stage and gender group; sum of values divided by total population projection	• Life-stage– and gender-specific RDAs multiplied by the U.S. Census Bureau population projection for the corresponding life-stage and gender group; sum of values divided by total population projection

¹Both current and potential DVs were derived from reference values for the population of adults and children aged ≥4 y, excluding pregnant and lactating women (1, 4, 5). When insufficient evidence was available to calculate an EAR for a nutrient, an Adequate Intake (AI) corresponding to an estimated median intake was established; the AI could be used to calculate a DV following the same method. Population-weighted values were calculated as defined by the FDA (2). DV, Daily Value; EAR, Estimated Average Requirement.