How Do the New DRIs for Energy Differ from the Previous Ones?

Early in 2023, a Consensus Study Report on the Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy was released by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. The DRIs for energy were the first of several updates commissioned by the United States and Canadian governments. DRIs for protein, carbohydrate, dietary fiber and fat are anticipated to be released in the future, once a review of current evidence is completed by a joint working group of experts. The last update to the DRIs for energy and macronutrients occurred in 2005.

The DRIs for energy continue to serve as the basis for determining the Estimated Energy Requirement, "which is defined as the average dietary energy intake that is predicted to maintain energy balance in an adult of a defined age, sex, weight, height, level of physical activity, and life stage, consistent with maintaining health." The DRIs for energy are utilized for planning and assessing dietary intake of individuals and groups and assist with planning nutrition standards for various policies and programs within the U.S. and Canada.

The new DRIs for energy are considered more inclusive and apply to the overall population, including those with overweight, obesity and other chronic diseases. The other notable change in the new DRIs for energy is the method used to assess physical activity level (for individuals 3 years and older), which represents more diverse population groups and corresponds better to sex, age and life stage.

There are currently 50 equations for estimating EER compared to 15 in the previous DRI report for energy. An allowance for growth, which varies depending on age and sex, is factored in for children and adolescents, and energy needs in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy reflect recommendations consistent with the Institute of Medicine's 2009 weight gain guidelines. Estimating EER during lactation still considers the energy cost of producing breastmilk for exclusive and partial breastfeeding during the first 6 months and 7 to 12 months postpartum, respectively; however, the equation for this life stage has been updated to address maternal age (i.e., under 19 or over 19 years old).

Application of the new DRIs for energy involves a "two-step process," one of which is determining the appropriate equation for the individual or group, based on their age, sex, physical activity level and life stage, if applicable. The second step is to monitor weight status, so that adjustments in energy intake can be made. According to the report, "use of the new EER equations is expected to lead to somewhat higher values for inactive individuals and lower values for very active individuals compared to the previous EER equations, but correct classification of individuals into [physical activity level] categories remains an important step of estimating energy requirements."

Nutrition and dietetics practitioners are encouraged to review the new DRIs for energy and the research recommendations identified by the joint working group, which may influence future updates.

References:

1. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Review of Macronutrients and Energy. Accessed February 20, 2023.
2. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy. Accessed February 20, 2023.
3. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. 2023. Dietary reference intakes for energy. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/26818.
4. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Energy, Carbohydrate, Fiber, Fat, Fatty Acids, Cholesterol, Protein, and Amino Acids. 2005. Accessed February 20, 2023.