RDA Workshop: New Approaches, Endpoints and Paradigms for RDAs of Mineral Elements Deliberations and Evaluations of the Approaches, Endpoints and Paradigms for Boron, Chromium and Fluoride Dietary Recommendations1'2

The 10th edition (1989) of the Recom mended Dietary Allowances provided estimated safe and adequate daily dietary intakes (ESADDI) for chro mium and fluoride and summarized the substantial evi dence for boron essentiality in animals. New endpoints, approaches and paradigms to use to formulate dietary guidance for these elements were reviewed by a discussion group that met as part of a national work shop. Deliberations of the group are summarized to facilitate future discussions on dietary guidance for these elements. The category, "provisional RDA" was recommended to replace the current ESADDI category because of the ambiguities associated with the ESADDI. A provisional RDA would be defined for a dietary substance that meets one of two sets of crite ria: class 1, clear evidence of essentiality but uncertain or limited quantitative data or endpoints to define di etary requirements; and class 2, strong evidence of essentiality, and clear nutritional benefit based on rea sonably certain quantitative data, but lack of clear in formation on function or endpoints to use for deficiency dietary requirements. A summary of background infor mation and possible approaches for assigning provi sional RDAs for boron, chromium and fluoride is pre sented. J. Nutr. 126: 2441S-2451S, 1996.