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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2022 Dec 22.
Published in final edited form as: Br J Nutr. 2021 Sep 23;128(5):863–887. doi: 10.1017/S0007114521003822

Table 6.

Comparison of authoritative, evidence-based non-spinal cord injury dietary guidelines

American Heart
Association(6,7)*
Australian Dietary
Guidelines(8)
Dietary Guidelines for Americans(1)
IOM Dietary Reference Intakes(2)
PHE Government Dietary
Recommendations(9,10)
WHO Healthy Diet(11)
Total energy Female Male Female/Male Female Male Female Male Female Male Female/male
Total energy (kcal/d) 1200–1500 1500–1800 2108–2259 1600–2000 2000–3000 Estimated energy requirement Estimated energy requirement 1840–2000 2294–2500 ≥ 1200 with 500–600/d deficit or in balance with energy expenditure
Macronutrients: protein, carbohydrate and fat
Protein (kcal) (RDA) 180–375 225–450 393–398 184 224 Varies based on total energy 180–186 213–222 Varies based on total energy
 Protein (% kcal) (AMDR) 15 or 25 15–25 10–35 10–35 10–35 10–35 15 15 15
Carbohydrates (kcal) (RDA) 420–975 525–1170 1088–1108 520 520 Varies based on total energy 980–1068 1224–1332 Varies based on total energy
 Carbohydrates (% kcal) (AMDR) 35, 45, 55 or 65 45–65 45–65 45–65 45–65 45–65 50 50 55–60
 Dietary fibre (g) 25–30(12) 24–26 22–28 28–34 14 (21–38)§ 30 30
Total fat (kcal) (AMDR) 240–600 300–720 799–820 300–700 400–1050 Varies based on total energy 648–702 801–873 Varies based on total energy
 Total fat (% kcal) (DGA) 20 or 40 20–35 20–35 20–35 20–35 20–35 35 35 ≤ 20–30
 Saturated fat (% kcal) (DGA) 5–6 < 10 < 10 < 10 As low as possible 11 11 < 10
 MUFA 8% 32–34 g No standards set No standards set 27–29 g 33–36 g
n-6 PUFA/linoleic acid (AI) 2% 13·4–13·9 g 11–12 g/d 14–17 g/d 5–10% 5–10% 13–14 g 17–18 g
n-3 PUFA/linolenic acid (AI) 1·1 g/d 1·6 g/d 0·6–1·2% 0·6–1·2%
Micronutrients: vitamins
 Choline (mg) (AI) 425 550 425 550
 Vitamin A (mg/d) (RDA) 1·2–1·3 700 900 700 900 600 700
 Vitamin B1/thiamin (mg/d) (RDA) 1·74–1·83 1·1 1·2 1·1 1·2 0·7–0·8 0·9–1·0
 Vitamin B2/riboflavin (mg/d) (RDA) 2·18–2·27 1·1 1·3 1·1 1·3 1·1 1·3
 Vitamin B3/niacin (mg/d) (RDA) 45·5–45·9 14 16 14 16 12·1–13·2 15·1–16·5
 Vitamin B5/pantothenic Acid (mg/d) (AI) 5 5
 Vitamin B6 (mg/d) (RDA) 1·3–1·5 1·3–17 1·3–1·5 1·3–1·7 1·2 1·4
 Vitamin B7/biotin (μg/d) (AI) 30 30
 Vitamin B9/folate (μg/d) (RDA) 286–299 400 400 400 400 200 200
 Vitamin B12 (μg/d) (RDA) 2·4 2·4 2·4 2·4 1·5 1·5
 Vitamin C (mg/d) (RDA) 130–142 75 90 75 90 40 40
 Vitamin D (μg/d) 15 (RDA) 15 (RDA) 5–15 (AI) 5–15 (AI) 10 10
 Vitamin E (mg/d) (RDA) 15 15 15 15
 Vitamin K (μg/d) (AI) 90 120 90 120
Micronutrients: minerals
 Ca (mg/d) 888–945 1000–1200 (RDA) 1000–1200 (RDA) 1000–1200 (AI) 1000–1200 (AI) 700 (RDA) 700 (RDA)
 Cr (μg/d) (AI) 20–25 30–35
 Chloride (mg/d) (AI) 1800–2300 1800–2300 2500 2500
 Cu (μg/d) (RDA) 900 900 900 900 1·2 1·2
 Fluoride (mg/d) (AI) 3 4
 Iodine (μg/d) 150 150 140 140
 Fe (mg/d) (RDA) 15·0–15·6 8–18 8 8–18 8 8·7–14·8 8·7
 Mg (mg/d) (RDA) 353–366 310–320 400–420 310–320 400–420 270 300
 Mn (mg/d) (AI) 1·8 2·3 1·8 2·3
 Mo (μg/d) (RDA) 45 45
 P (mg/d) (RDA) 1626–1673 700 700 700 700 550 550
 K (mg/d) (AI) 3495–3551 4700 4700 4700 4700 3500 3500
 Se (μg/d) (RDA) 55 55 55 55 60 75
 Na (mg/d) (UL) ≤ 2400 (≤ 1500 is better) 2300 2300 2300 2300 2500 2500 < 5000
 Zn (mg/d) (RDA) 12·9–13·3 8 11 8 11 7 9·5

AMDR, Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range; DGA, Dietary Guidelines for American; AI, adequate intake; UL, tolerable upper intake level.

*

Guidelines were established to prevent CVD and manage overweight and obese adults.

Estimated energy requirement equation for males = 662 – (9·53 × age (years)) + PA × ((15·91 × weight (kg)) + (539·6 × height (m))), where PA is the physical activity coefficient.

Estimated energy requirement equation for females = 354 – (6·91 × age (years)) + PA × ((9·36 × weight (kg)) + (726 × height (m))), where PA is the physical activity coefficient.

§

Values in parentheses are an example of the total g/d of total fibre calculated from 14 g/1000 kcal multiplied by the median energy intake (kcal/1000 kcal/d) from the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (1994–1996, 1998).