Final answer:
The Estimated Average Requirements (EAR), Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), Adequate Intake (AI), and Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL) are part of the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) used to plan and assess nutrient intakes for healthy people. They guide nutrient amounts needed to prevent deficiency and avoid excess intake.
Step-by-step explanation:
The terms Estimated Average Requirements (EAR), Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA), Adequate Intake (AI), and Tolerable Upper Intake Levels (UL) are all part of the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs). DRIs are a set of reference values used to plan and assess nutrient intakes of healthy people. These are used by health professionals to ensure adequate nutrition while avoiding overconsumption which could lead to adverse effects.
The RDA is a daily nutrient level considered sufficient to meet the needs of 97.5% of healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group. It is derived from the EAR, which is the intake level estimated to meet the needs of 50% of individuals in a group. The Adequate Intake is established when evidence is insufficient to develop an RDA and is set at a level assumed to ensure nutritional adequacy. The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (or upper limit) is the maximum daily intake unlikely to cause adverse health effects for almost all individuals in the general population.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the DRIs play a crucial role in helping to guide health policies and assist individuals, and health professionals regard nutrition choices. The United States government has provided various food and nutrition guides through history, with the current guide being My Plate.