Interpretation of the New Edition of Reference Intake of Dietary Nutrients for Residents ＂Reference Intake of Dietary Nutrients for Residents in China (2023 Edition)＂

After 10 years, the reference intake of dietary nutrients of China residents was updated. In September this year, the China Nutrition Society released

Reference Intake of Dietary Nutrients for China Residents (2023 Edition)

. The 2023 edition touches more age groups and more people, and also provides a core theoretical and technical guarantee for nutritional science research.

Recently, the Nutrition Society of China held an exclusive interview with the media on the Reference Intake of Dietary Nutrients for China Residents (2023 Edition). Relevant experts interpret the revision of the 2023 edition, scientific research breakthroughs, perfect details and application scope.

Incorporate more new research results

It is reported that China released the eighth edition of dietary nutrient reference intake in 2013, and the ninth edition in 2023.

"The 2023 edition has improved and perfected the related concepts and numerical formulation procedures of dietary nutrient reference intake." Professor Yang Yuexin, Chairman of the Nutrition Society of China and Institute of Nutrition and Health of China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, introduced that the 2023 edition included new research results in the fields of functions, evaluation, requirements, safety and prevention of chronic diseases of nutrients and other dietary components at home and abroad in recent 10 years, and included more research results targeting at China residents.

"It is worth mentioning that in the past 10 years, Chinese scientists have made great progress in the field of nutrition. This revision includes a large number of research results of Chinese scientists." Yang Yuexin said.

Taking protein as an example, the 2013 edition pointed out that the protein required by adult men per person per day is about 65g. "Do the elderly need more? With such questions, we have studied the elderly in China with more advanced stable isotope labeling technology. " Yang Xiaoguang, vice chairman of the Nutrition Society of China and a researcher at the Institute of Nutrition and Health of China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, said that the research results show that the elderly need more protein than ordinary adults.

"According to the research results, the elderly need about 7 grams more protein than ordinary adults in their daily diet." Yang Xiaoguang said that this puts higher demands on the dietary quality of the elderly.

In order to promote the improvement of dietary structure and quality, the revision of protein reference intake for the elderly in the 2023 edition is reflected in the acceptable range of macro nutrients (the range between the maximum and minimum suitable intake of nutrients such as fat, protein and carbohydrate, which is usually expressed as a percentage of energy intake). "The 2023 edition recommends that the daily protein intake of the elderly over 65 should account for 15% of the energy intake, which is 5% higher than the 2013 edition." Yang Xiaoguang said.

"There are still many research results of Chinese scientists that provide the basis for this revision." Yang Xiaoguang introduced that, for example, the recommended dietary nutrients related to infants are all from the research of "China Breast Milk Composition Database" of the Institute of Nutrition and Health of China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which is more in line with the actual situation of infants in China.

Carry out the concept of precision nutrition

With the development of science and technology, people’s demand for reasonable diet is growing day by day. Yang Xiaoguang said: "In the past, when formulating nutrient requirements, we mainly focused on preventing nutrient deficiency. Now, in addition to preventing deficiency, we should also pay attention to preventing chronic diseases."

"What is the current nutritional and health level of Chinese people? How much nutrient intake is a lack? How much is an overdose? How to eat can prevent chronic diseases? With more and more research data, we have a deeper understanding of these issues. " Yang Yuexin introduced.

Yang Yuexin said that the 2023 edition revised the basic reference values of China population, including age group, representative weight value, reference value of breast milk composition, recommended weight gain of pregnant women, and physical activity level. "The requirements of different people for nutrients such as calcium, protein and energy are not directly calculated. On the basis of grouping analysis and comprehensive evaluation of these basic values, the 2023 edition puts forward basic values that are more in line with the Chinese people’s physique." Yang Yuexin said.

"At the same time, the 2023 edition quantitatively reflects the reference intake of each nutrient by referring to the standards of these basic values and various research results." Yang Yuexin said that the 2023 edition focuses on numerical values, so that the public can more clearly find some specific numerical values corresponding to personal situations, such as how much calcium and protein children eat, how much pregnant women eat, and how much elderly people of different ages eat.

"This implements the concept of precision nutrition." Yang Xiaoguang said that in the 2023 edition, the age groups and people groups were divided as much as possible, and classified settings were made according to the gender differences between men and women. For example, the 2023 edition suggests that different people should pay attention to folic acid intake. Ma Aiguo, executive vice chairman of the Nutrition Society of China and dean of the Institute of Nutrition and Health of Qingdao University, said that women of childbearing age and pregnant women who plan to get pregnant should pay attention to the nutritional status of folic acid because of their own physiological and metabolic needs and the rapid growth of the fetus; The elderly should pay more attention to folic acid intake because of their physiological characteristics and decreased intestinal absorption and metabolism. For people with hyperhomocysteinemia, folic acid supplementation can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and senile dementia.

Can be applied to all aspects of life.

With the continuous promotion of national nutrition plan and reasonable dietary action, in recent years, the dietary nutrition status of Chinese residents has been continuously improved, residents’ health awareness has been continuously strengthened, and dietary nutrition and healthy behavior has gradually formed. However, Ding Gangqiang, director of the Institute of Nutrition and Health of China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, pointed out that the prevalence of chronic diseases such as overweight, obesity and hypertension has also increased in China, which is related to unscientific and unhealthy eating and unreasonable dietary structure of residents.

"In our diet, animal food accounts for a relatively high proportion, animal fat intake is too high, fruits and vegetables are low, and trace elements are insufficient …" Ding Gangqiang expressed the hope that the 2023 edition can guide the public to achieve a reasonable and balanced diet.

"When you open this book, you can see the dense data. Each value is our target value for achieving dietary nutrition and health, and it is applied in all aspects of life." Ma Aiguo introduced that in addition to guiding the daily diet of individuals and families, the 2023 edition also plays a guiding role in the nutritional security and dietary arrangement of three meals a day in canteens, including guiding nutrition practitioners to better arrange meals in kindergartens, schools and nursing homes.

"In addition, for the food industry, the 2023 edition also plays an important guiding role in the research and development of infant food, nutrient supplements, health foods and other products and the formulation of nutrition labels." Ma Aiguo said.

How do the general population know their nutritional and health status? "In the 2023 edition, there is a chapter called’ Nutritional Status Evaluation’, where you can find the relevant indicators of each nutrient or component." Yang Yuexin introduced, in short, there are three aspects: First, refer to the dietary intake, and guess whether there is a lack of nutrition by calculating the daily intake; The second is to judge the nutritional status by comparing biochemical indicators, that is, some direct or indirect indicators of blood drawing and inspection; The third is to observe whether there are some typical symptoms of nutrient deficiency.

"Everyone can also go to the clinical nutrition department of the hospital for professional nutrition screening to understand the nutritional health status and better improve the dietary structure." Yang Yuexin said.