GDAs for adults
Individual requirements for energy and nutrition are different for all people. So GDAs are not targets for individuals, but guidelines to help make dietary choices.
Initially developed for Calories, fat and saturated fat for adults (over 18 years of age), GDAs were based on figures published in the Dietary Reference Values for Food Energy and Nutrients for the United Kingdom, published by COMA in 1991 (HMSO, London)1.
GDAs were expanded in 2005 to include values for carbohydrates, sugars, protein, salt and fibre for adults. For salt, recommendations of the Scientific Committee on Nutrition (SACN)2 were followed, while calculations for total sugars were as described by Rayner et al (2003)3.
GDA values used for adults are based on:
- Estimated average requirements for energy for 19-50 year olds. 1940 kcal/day for women, 2550 kcal/day for men
- 33% energy from total fat (based on total dietary energy including alcohol)
- 10% energy from saturated fat (based on total dietary energy including alcohol)
- 47% energy from carbohydrate (based on total dietary energy including alcohol)
- 19% energy from total sugars
- 9% energy from protein (men), 8% energy from protein (women) based on COMA Reference Nutrient Intakes for protein
- Fibre: values are based on recommended intakes of non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) and fibre analysed by AOAC method are available. These are single values for men and women
- Salt: values are based on SACN (2003) recommendations (HMSO, London). A single value is used for men and women
GDA Tables for Men and Women
1 COMA (1991) Dietary reference values for food energy and nutrients for the United Kingdom: report of the Panel on Dietary Reference Values of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy. Reports of Health and Social Subjects 41. TSO, London
2 Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (2003) Salt and health. TSO, London
3 Rayner et al (2003) Public Health Nutrition 7 549-556
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