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For more than 40 years, Recommended Dietary Allowances for Koreans (KRDA) were used as references for nutrient intake. In 2002, the Korean Nutrition Society organized a committee to revise the KRDA, which were transformed into the new Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans (KDRIs) in 2005. KDRIs include Estimated Average Requirements (EAR), Recommended Intake (RI), Adequate Intake (AI) and Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for protein, essential amino acids and micronutrients, Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) for energy and Acceptable Macronutrients Distribution Ranges (AMDR) for macronutrients. Evidence-based methods were used to determine the reference value (s) and the levels of nutrient intake for each nutrient. The KDRIs expanded significantly the number of nutrients and the basic concepts of nutrient recommendations compared to the previously used KRDA. In addition, a new food guide, depicted as Food Tower for Koreans, was developed and appended to the KDRIs publication. Continued efforts are needed to facilitate the application of KDRIs as well as to improve the understanding of the concepts. Additional modifications will be made as more scientific data become available.
Key Words: Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans, dietary reference, Korean diet, food guide
HISTORY OF DIETARY RECOMMENDATIONS IN KOREA
Dietary recommendations provide science-based guides to target populations on diet and maintaining good health. Nutrient level recommendations serve to estimate the levels of specific nutrients that should be consumed and are a basic foundation that must be met while following forms of dietary recommendations. Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) were first established in the United States in 1941, and were used as nutrient recommendations until Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) were introduced in 1997.1,2 Other countries adapted the concept for their populations. The initial KRDA was published in 1962 by the FAO Korean Office, and has been periodically revised. The Korean Nutrition Society (KNS) has been responsible for publishing the KRDA since the 6th revision in 1995.3 During the process of publishing the 7th revision in 2000, there were discussions as to the relevancy of the concept of KRDA to the complex nutritional problems of the population within modern-day Korea. Whereas KRDA was established to provide guidelines for nutrient intakes to prevent deficiencies, beginning mid-20th century, dietary and lifestyle changes results in an increased prevalence of chronic diseases related to obesity....