human nutrition - MOD2

%U.S. RDA

Food label standard used prior to 1990. Information based on 1968 RDA.

Ingredients

Ingredients in a food listed in descending order by weight. Required on almost all food labels.

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRI)

The general term for nutrient recommendations being developed as part of the revision of the 1989 RDA. The DRI is comprised of the EAR, RDA, AI and the UL.

Nutrient Density

The ratio formed by dividing a food's contribution to the needs for a nutrient by its contribution to energy needs. When the contribution to nutrient needs exceeds that to energy needs, the food is considered to have a favorable nutrient density for that nutrient.

Nutrition Facts

Title of food label

Supplement Facts

Title of nutrient supplement label

Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences

A federal agency that has established "The Committee on Dietary Reference Intakes" for the purpose of developing a series of reference values for intakes of nutrients by Americans and Canadians.

Daily Values

A set of standard nutrient-intakes values developed by the FDA and used as a reference for expressing nutrient content on nutrition labels. Daily Values include the two types of standards - RDIs and DRVs.

Exchange System

A system for classifying foods into lists based on their macronutrient (carbohydrate, lipids, and protein) composition and establishing serving sizes so that one serving of each food on the list contains approximately the same amount of carbohydrate, protein, fat and energy.

Estimated average requirements ( EARs)

An amount of nutrient intake that is estimated to meet the needs of 50% of the individuals in a specific age and gender group.

Health Canada

Canadian agency along with Canadian scientists involved in developing a series of reference values for intakes of nutrients by Americans and Canadians.

Malnutrition

Failing health that results from long-standing dietary practices that do not coincide with nutritional needs.

Nutrition Labeling and Education Act (NLEA)

Federal law requiring that food labels use the common name of the product, the name and address of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor be listed, the net contents be given, and ingredients of the product be listed.

Dietary Guidelines for Americans

General Goals for healthful living and food selection set by USDA and DHHS.

Organic Food

Generally refers to foods produced without pesticides, growth hormones, antibiotics, or biotechnology, irradiation, or sewer sludge.

Tolerable Upper Intake Limits (UL)

Maximum chronic daily intake of a nutrient that is unlikely to cause adverse health effects in almost all people in a population. This number applies to a chronic daily use.

Health Claims

Messages allowed on a food label relating to a food, or nutrient, or food constituent and a disease. Currently, FDA limits health messages to specific disease where significant scientific evidence support such a link.

Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary Intake (ESADDI)

Nutrient intake recommendation made by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Research Council for nutrients that do not have an RDA because there is not enough information available to set a standard. These are being phased out and replaced by the Adequate Intake (AI).

Adequate Intake (AI)

Recommendations for nutrient intake when not enough information is available to establish an RDA. AIs are based on observed or experimentally determined estimates of the average nutrient intake that appears to maintain a defined nutritional state in a specific population.

Daily Food Guide

Recommended food plan to help people with no special knowledge of nutrition to select foods to meet nutrient needs. Foods were grouped into 6 categories and are known as the Food Guide Pyramid.

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)

Recommended intakes of nutrients that meets the needs of almost all healthy people of similar age and gender. These are established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences.

Reference Daily Intakes (RDI)

Standards established by FDA for expressing nutrient content on nutrition labels. RDIs are generally based on the maximum 1968 RDA values set for a nutrient that span a particular age range, such as children over 4 years through adults. RDI replaced the term U.S. RDA. The RDIs constitute part of the Daily Values used in food labeling.

Daily Reference Values (DRV)

Standards of intake for certain components of a diet (carbohydrate, fat, protein, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, potassium and dietary fiber) set by FDA. With the exception of protein, these nutrients do not have an RDA. The values are intended to be used for comparing nutrient intakes to desirable or maximum levels. DRVs help consumers evaluate individual food choices and determine how they fit into a total diet, as they form part of the Daily Values. The DRVs for cholesterol, sodium, and potassium are constant; those for other nutrients increase as energy intake increases. The DRVs constitute part of the Daily Values used in food labeling.

Nutrient Claims

Structure/function claims do not have to have FDA approval. On the label there is likely to be a disclaimer that states: "This statement has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent ay disease." You are likely to find this disclaimer on a dietary supplement.

UL

see Tolerable Upper Intake Limits