ABSTRACT

The Recommended Dietary Allowances are the most widely used standard in the field of nutrition. They have served for over 50 years as the basis for fundamental food and nutrition policies that affect every American. A review of the evolution of these standards provides guidance for the development of standards of academic achievement that will be accepted by a broad range of users. The development of standards is an iterative process, and regular review and revision must be anticipated and planned for. Controversies are most likely to arise in the absence of unequivocal data and the need to substitutejudgment, no matter how well informed. Finally, if standards are to be widely accepted, some level of consensus is critical. Therefore, the process of establishing them must be open to those who are interested.