Essentially, the 1991 COMA report on DRVs does not make dietary recommendations. Instead, the DRVs are estimates of requirements for a population or group to provide guidance* rather than recommendations.¹

• be taken as being a reasonable representation of the true situation²
• assumes no errors in the way the data are collected, analysed, and interpreted²
• the new or test measure of exposure is usually compared with another measure which is considered from previous research to be more accurate (the reference measure) than the new measure²
• The Panel openly disclose that:
• in some instances the evidence for the DRV’s are limited to anecdotal data of various persuasiveness³
• for most nutrients the Panel found insufficient data to establish any of the DRVs with great confidence³

• there are inherent errors in some of the data, for instance in individuals’ reports of their food intake, and the day-to-day variation in nutrient intakes also complicates interpretation³
• even given complete accuracy of a dietary record, its relation to habitual intake remains uncertain, however long the recording period³
• It would seem more appropriate to claim that the 1991 COMA report on DRVs has improved the scientific basis for making dietary recommendations for the following reasons:
• it is far broader than previous reports in that it includes the health consequences of nutrient intakes other than from the point of view of avoidance of deficiency diseases¹
• it takes a new approach by defining more than one figure for each nutrient, thus recognising the broad range of requirements of individuals within a population¹

• although the criteria used was imperfect, they were judged to be the best available on which to base DRV so that they were relevant to prevailing circumstances¹

• if a varied diet including low-fat milk and dairy foods, lean meat, fish and alternatives, bread, other cereals and potatoes, fruits and vegetables are eaten, then the requirements for vitamins and minerals should be met¹

• increase consumption of fibre-rich starch foods¹
• increase consumption of fruit and vegetables¹
• cut down on saturated fats from animal sources and those added to cakes, biscuits and pastries¹
• use oils rich in monounsaturates or polyunsaturates³
• decrease intake of ‘added’ sugars¹
• for most of the population vitamin and mineral supplements are not required¹

The Panel felt that setting a range of intakes for a given nutrient, based on the distribution of requirements rather than just one figure would help users interpret dietary information on both groups and individuals.¹ The Panel were aware the RDIs and RDAs had been frequently misinterpreted and used inappropriately.¹