TABLE 1.

DRIs and their definitions¹

DRIs	Definition
Based on 1994 Food and Nutrition Committee recommendations
EAR	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 sex group.
RDA	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 sex group.
UL	The highest average daily nutrient intake level that is likely to pose no risk of adverse health effects for almost all individuals in the general population. As intake increases above the UL, the potential risk of adverse effects may increase.
Added by DRI committees in 1994–2011
AI	The recommended average daily intake level based on observed or experimentally determined approximations or estimates of nutrient intake by a group (or groups) of apparently healthy people that are assumed to be adequate; used when an RDA cannot be determined.
AMDR	The range of intakes of an energy source that is associated with a reduced risk of chronic disease, yet can provide adequate amounts of essential nutrients; expressed as a percentage of total energy intake.
EER	The average dietary energy intake that is predicted to maintain energy balance in a healthy adult of a defined age, sex, weight, height, and level of physical activity consistent with good health. In children and pregnant and lactating women, the EER includes the needs associated with the deposition of tissues or the secretion of milk at rates consistent with good health.

¹From reference 1. AI, Adequate Intake; AMDR, Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range; DRI, Dietary Reference Intake; EAR, Estimated Average Requirement; EER, Estimated Energy Requirement; RDA, Recommended Dietary Allowance; UL, Tolerable Upper Intake Level.