Table 1. Criteria used in developing dietary reference values for 11 micronutrients: adults and children.

	United Kingdoma	US/Canadab	European Unionc	Factord
Adults
Avoidance of risk of deficiency (clinical signs, biomarker threshold)	B12, C, D*	riboflavin, B12, C, D†	riboflavin, folate, B12, D	x
Factorial method: (retention/turnover+obligatory losses)	A, iron, calcium, potassium,	A, iron	A, C, iron	body size
Balance/depletion-repletion studies (using biomarkers, energy intake)	folate, magnesium,	thiamin, folate, calcium† magnesium	thiamin, calcium	body size
Usual intake or biomarker status	riboflavin	potassium‡	magnesium	body size
Intake of energy/protein	thiamin			body size
Optimisation of function/health (other than frank deficiency)			potassium	x
Children
Interpolation: infant breastmilk intake and adult value (using reference weights)	A, riboflavin, folate, B12, C, iron, magnesium	C	C	body size
Extrapolation: adult values (using reference weights or metabolic weight*growth factor)		A, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, B12, magnesium	riboflavin, folate, B12, potassium	body size
Extrapolation: from adult value (using energy/protein intake)	thiamin		thiamin	body size
Factorial method: (retention/turnover+obligatory losses)	calcium, potassium	iron, calcium†	A, iron, calcium	body size
Usual intake		potassium‡	magnesium	body size
Same value as adults	D*	D†	D	x

^aDeveloped and published by the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Food Policy1991⁽²⁾, unless otherwise stated

^bDeveloped and published by the Institute of Medicine in a series 1997-2001^(4–7), unless otherwise stated

^cDeveloped and published by the European Food Safety Authority in a series 2013-2017⁽¹⁰⁾

^dIndicates whether body size is an intrinsic factor of the criterion

^*Published by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition 2016⁽³⁾

^†Developed and published by the Institute of Medicine 2011⁽⁸⁾

^‡Developed and published by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine 2019⁽⁹⁾