Understand the terms
Dietary reference values describe nutrient intakes for healthy populations. Different values answer different questions; they are not interchangeable. EFSA distinguishes the following:
| Term | What it describes |
|---|---|
| Average requirement (AR) | An intake estimated to meet the requirement of half the people in a defined group. |
| Population reference intake (PRI) | An intake estimated to meet the needs of almost all people in that group. |
| Adequate intake (AI) | A value used when evidence is insufficient to establish an average requirement and a population reference intake. |
| Reference intake range (RI) | A range for the contribution of a macronutrient to energy intake. |
The difference between an AI and a PRI concerns the evidence used to establish them. An AI should not be relabelled as an average requirement. A tolerable upper intake level addresses the risk of excessive intake; it is not a target to aim for. EFSA: dietary reference values.
Match the value to the population
Before using a figure, identify the nutrient, the population and the purpose of the assessment. Age, sex and physiological circumstances can affect how values are derived. Pregnancy and lactation may require separate values. The underlying scientific opinion explains the population and health criteria used.
Reference values provide a scientific starting point. Dietary goals and food recommendations also take account of eating habits and the food supply. This helps explain why a national food guide and a nutrient reference table present different kinds of information. EFSA's principles for deriving and applying reference values.
Find a value and its explanation
Use the EFSA DRV Finder to locate a value. Then open the linked scientific opinion to understand its basis. When preparing a teaching slide, report or research note, keep the value and its context together:
- Record the nutrient and the type of value, including the abbreviation.
- Record the age group and any other population description.
- Keep the unit exactly as published; note whether the value is expressed per day, relative to body weight or as a proportion of energy.
- Record the source, publication date and any later update that applies.
- Explain why that value is suitable for the question you are addressing.
This short source note makes your work easier to check and update. A number copied without its unit or population can be difficult to interpret, even when the number itself is correct.
A worked reading example
Suppose you are preparing a seminar on nutrient requirements in adults. Two papers use different abbreviations beside apparently similar figures. Start by comparing their definitions and population groups, rather than deciding that one figure must be wrong. An AR and a PRI have different meanings; the papers may also refer to different age ranges or national guidance.
For your seminar, place the abbreviation, population and source next to each figure. Ask participants to explain which question each value can answer. This is an exercise in reading references, not a way to diagnose an individual's nutritional status.
For the next step, explore food-based dietary guidelines or read the EFSA resource introduction.
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