Scientific Opinion on Dietary Reference Values for energy

Abstract

Following a request from the European Commission, the Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies (NDA) derived dietary reference values for energy, which are provided as average requirements (ARs) of specified age and sex groups. For children and adults, total energy expenditure (TEE) was determined factorially from estimates of resting energy expenditure (REE) plus the energy needed for various levels of physical activity (PAL) associated with sustainable lifestyles in healthy individuals. To account for uncertainties inherent in the prediction of energy expenditure, ranges of the AR for energy were calculated with several equations for predicting REE in children (1-17 years) and adults. For practical reasons, only the REE estimated by the equations of Henry (2005) was used in the setting of the AR and multiplied with PAL values of 1.4, 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0, which approximately reflect low active (sedentary), moderately active, active and very active lifestyles. For estimating REE in adults, body heights measured in representative national surveys in 13 EU Member States and body masses calculated from heights assuming a body mass index of 22 kg/m 2 were used. For children, median body masses and heights from the WHO Growth Standards or from harmonised growth curves of children in the EU were used. Energy expenditure for growth was accounted for by a 1 % increase of PAL values for each age group. For infants (7-11 months), the AR was derived from TEE estimated by regression equation based on doubly labelled water (DLW) data, plus the energy needs for growth. For pregnant and lactating women, the additional energy for the deposition of newly formed tissue, and for milk output, was derived from data obtained by the DLW method and from factorial estimates, respectively. The proposed ARs for energy may need to be adapted depending on specific objectives and target populations. The DRVs for food energy provide a best estimate of the food energy needs of population groups within Europe. They are given as average requirements (ARs) of specified age and sex groups and are of limited use for individuals. The reference values need to be adapted to specific objectives, such as dietary assessment, dietary planning, labelling dietary reference values, or development of food-based dietary guidelines. In addition, there is a need to define and characterise the target population. © EuropeanIn this Opinion, total energy expenditure (TEE) in the steady state of a healthy body mass was chosen as the criterion on which to base the AR for energy. In practice, the adequacy of usual energy intakes is best monitored by measuring body mass. In terms of regulation of body mass, the overall energy balance over a prolonged period of time needs to be considered. TEE expended over 24 hours is the sum of basal energy expenditure, the energy expenditure of physical activity and the thermic effect of food. In this Opinion, resting energy expenditure (REE) was used as a proxy for the slightly lower basal energy expenditure, as most ...

Scientific Opinion on nutrient requirements and dietary intakes of infants and young children in the European Union

“…Nutrient requirements and references should be differentiated from recommended intakes because of differences in the methodology for their derivation and their intention. Considering amongst other nutrient goals for a given population, reference values are translated into recommendations for managing nutritional risks (EFSA NDA Panel, 2010g NDA Panel, 2010f, 2010d, 2010a, 2012a, 2013b, 2013c, 2013d and endorsed opinions on DRVs for biotin and pantothenic acid for public consultation (EFSA NDA Panel, 2013g, 2013a.…”

“…The Panel decided to extend the methodology chosen in its previous Opinion for deriving ARs for energy for older infants (EFSA NDA Panel, 2013b) to infants from birth to six months. The Panel had based the ARs for older infants on the equation for TEE established by Butte (2005) derived from data from infants exclusively breast-fed for four months and adding energy requirements for growth based on the values proposed by Butte et al (2000) and Butte (2005) and using median body masses from the WHO Growth Standard (WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study Group, 2006).…”

“…The Panel had based the ARs for older infants on the equation for TEE established by Butte (2005) derived from data from infants exclusively breast-fed for four months and adding energy requirements for growth based on the values proposed by Butte et al (2000) and Butte (2005) and using median body masses from the WHO Growth Standard (WHO Multicentre Growth Reference Study Group, 2006). A detailed description of the methodology is found in the Panel's previous Opinion (EFSA NDA Panel, 2013b Group, 2006) were used for children aged 12 to 35 months. A single value was chosen for the physical activity level (PAL) of 12-to 35-month-old children; this PAL value was increased by 1 % per year as a way to take into account the energy expenditure required for growth.…”

Methodological issues in food surveys

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the nutritional recommendations, institutions like the WHO and EFSA have moved away from using observed intakes for their guidelines and started using a factorial method [2,3]. We do agree with the statement of Alexy and Hilbig that only a small number of infants were used to determine the energy deposition using doubly labeled water technique.

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Scientific Opinion on the essential composition of total diet replacements for weight control

“…These are discussed in more detail in the Panel's opinion on DRVs for energy (EFSA NDA Panel, 2013c). In that opinion, the Panel concluded that the equations by Harris and Benedict (1919), Schofield et al (1985), Mifflin et al (1990), Müller et al (2004) and Henry (2005) can be considered as equally valid, but the Panel used, for practical reasons and the comprehensiveness of the underlying database, the equations by Henry (2005) to calculate REE for healthy, normal-weight adults.…”