Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is the average daily nutrient intake level that meets the nutrient requirements of what percentage of healthy people?

• A. 50%
• B. 97-98%
• C. 25%
• D. 75%

Answer: (B)

The main idea is that the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) is set so that it meets the nutrient needs of almost all healthy individuals. It’s derived from the Estimated Average Requirement plus a safety margin, aiming to cover about 97–98% of healthy people. This is why the RDA is higher than the EAR, which covers about 50% of the population, and it’s why it’s used as a daily intake goal for planning diets. When data aren’t sufficient to establish an EAR, an Adequate Intake (AI) is used instead, and there’s a separate Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for avoiding toxicity. So the correct percentage is approximately 97–98% of healthy people.