Who Produces the Dietary Reference Intakes? A US-Canadian Partnership

December 8, 2025 •

2 min read

The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are a set of science-based nutrient reference values developed through a collaborative effort between the United States and Canada. This critical work, which has been ongoing since the early 1990s, provides health professionals and policymakers with the necessary data to plan and assess nutrient intakes for healthy people.

Quick Summary

The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are produced by expert panels of U.S. and Canadian scientists convened by the National Academies' Food and Nutrition Board, with involvement from Health Canada. This process relies on extensive scientific review to determine nutrient requirements and safe intake levels.

Key Points

National Academies and Health Canada: The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are a joint effort between the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in the U.S. and Health Canada.
Expert Panels: Volunteer scientists from both countries review evidence to develop recommendations.
Independent and Unbiased: The National Academies' process uses strict conflict of interest policies to ensure independent, science-based recommendations.
Comprehensive Values: The DRI system includes values like EAR, RDA, AI, and UL.
Chronic Disease Consideration: The modern DRI process considers the role of nutrients in relation to chronic disease risk, in addition to preventing deficiencies.
Replaced Older Standards: DRIs replaced previous national standards like the U.S. RDAs and Canadian RNIs.
Wide-Ranging Applications: DRIs are used by governments, public health professionals, food manufacturers, and dietitians.

The Core Producers: National Academies and Health Canada

The Dietary Reference Intakes are a joint effort between the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine in the United States and Health Canada. The National Academies' Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) leads the U.S. side. The FNB convenes expert panels of scientists from both countries to review evidence and develop recommendations. This collaboration ensures the DRIs are based on comprehensive science for both populations.

Evolution to a Collaborative Approach

The current DRI system grew from previous separate standards like the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and Canadian Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs). The joint U.S.-Canadian process began in the early 1990s, expanding the focus from just preventing deficiencies to also considering chronic disease risk.

The Rigorous DRI Development Process

Producing DRIs involves several steps, ensuring the recommendations are evidence-based. These steps include systematic evidence review, criterion selection, value establishment, committee deliberations (typically one to two years), and publication of final reports.

The Variety of DRI Reference Values

DRIs include several values for assessing and planning diets. These are Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), Adequate Intake (AI), Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), Estimated Energy Requirement (EER), and Acceptable Macronutrient Distribution Range (AMDR).

Comparison of Past and Present Nutrient Standards


Feature	Previous U.S. RDAs (pre-1989)	Current DRIs (U.S. and Canada)
Scope	Preventing deficiencies.	Preventing deficiencies, excess intake, and reducing chronic disease risk.
Geographic Basis	U.S.-specific.	U.S. and Canadian populations.
Reference Values	Primarily RDA.	EAR, RDA, AI, UL, EER, AMDR.
Funding and Involvement	U.S. agencies.	U.S. and Canadian federal agencies with joint committees.
Basis for Values	Available evidence.	Systematic literature review and structured risk assessment.

Conclusion: Guiding Public Health and Food Policy

The DRIs, produced through U.S.-Canadian collaboration led by the National Academies and Health Canada, are vital for public health. Expert panels ensure guidelines are evidence-based, forming the foundation for nutrition policies, dietary guidelines, and food labels. This process ensures reliable standards for various stakeholders.

For more information on the overarching organization responsible for these scientific endeavors, you can visit the National Academies.

The Broader Impact and Application of DRIs

DRIs are used by agencies like the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for public health initiatives and dietary guidelines. They also inform food manufacturers, policymakers, and health educators.

Frequently Asked Questions

The Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are primarily produced by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Food and Nutrition Board in the United States, in collaboration with Health Canada.

U.S. and Canadian federal agencies sponsor the research and use the final DRI reports to inform public health policies and dietary guidelines.

Yes, the DRI system replaced previous national standards, including the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and the Canadian Recommended Nutrient Intakes (RNIs).

Expert panels, or DRI committees, are composed of volunteer U.S. and Canadian scientists from various fields like nutrition, epidemiology, and toxicology.

DRI committee deliberations typically last between one and two years to ensure a thorough review of scientific evidence.

DRIs are used by government agencies, public health officials, dietitians, healthcare professionals, food manufacturers, and researchers.

Yes, the DRI system includes the Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL), which represents the highest daily intake level unlikely to cause adverse health effects. The modern process includes risk assessment for excess intake.