RDA AND DEFICIENCY DISEASES| NUTRITION & DIETETICS|L-5|

Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) are the levels of intake of essential nutrients that, on the basis of scientific knowledge, are judged by the Food and Nutrition Board to be adequate to meet the known nutrient needs of practically all healthy persons.

The first edition of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) was published in 1943 during World War II with the objective of “providing standards to serve as a goal for good nutrition.” It defined, in “accordance with newer information, the recommended daily allowances for the various dietary essentials for people of different ages” (NRC, 1943). The origin of the RDAs a has been described in detail by the chairman of the first Committee on Recommended Dietary Allowances (Roberts, 1958). The initial publication has been revised at regular intervals; this is the tenth edition.

ESTIMATION OF PHYSIOLOGICAL REQUIREMENTS

Where possible, the subcommittee established an RDA by first estimating the average physiological requirement for an absorbed nutrient. It then adjusted this value by factors to compensate for incomplete utilization and to encompass the variation both in requirements among individuals and in the bioavailability of the nutrient among the food sources. Thus, there is a safety factor in the RDAs for each nutrient, reflecting the state of knowledge concerning the nutrient, its bioavailability, and variations among the U.S. population. It is the intent of the subcommittee that the RDAs be both safe and adequate, but not necessarily the highest or lowest figures that the data might justify.

What is Deficiency Disease?

A deficiency disease can be defined as a disease that is caused by the lack of essential nutrients or dietary elements such as vitamins and minerals in the human body. A well-balanced diet is critical to a person’s overall health. Any dietary imbalance could result in an excess or insufficient consumption of particular nutrients. A deficiency disease can result from a lack of a certain nutrient. Deficiency disease is a disease caused by a lack of essential dietary elements and especially a vitamin or mineral.

Vitamin Deficiency

It is a condition of a long-term lack of vital amines in our body. If there is less intake of vitamins then the condition is called primary deficiency and if the reason behind deficiency is malabsorption of vitamins due to a disorder, it is called a secondary deficiency. Vitamin deficiency can result in diseases such as beriberi and pellagra. Vitamin deficiency is still a problem all over the world.

Mineral Deficiency

Minerals are nutrients that the human body needs in order to function properly. A mineral deficiency occurs when the body doesn’t obtain or absorb the required amount of a mineral. It can happen slowly over time for various reasons. These can be an increased need for minerals in the body, a lack of minerals in the diet, etc. The deficiency of minerals can lead to several health problems. For example, deficiency of iron can result in anaemia. The human body requires different amounts of each mineral to stay healthy. Specific requirements are mentioned in daily allotment (RDA).

The RDA is the average quantity that satisfies the nutritional needs of 97 percent of healthy persons. They can be found in foods, mineral supplements, and food products enriched with additional minerals.

A deficiency occurs over time and can be caused by a number of circumstances. A greater requirement for the mineral, a scarcity of the mineral in the diet, or difficulty absorbing the mineral through food are some of the most common explanations.

Mineral shortages can lead to brittle bones, fatigue, and a compromised immune system, among other problems.

Vitamin deficiency diseases 

Mineral deficiency diseases