In which year was the first edition of Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) published?

Appeared in: RIMS Nursing Officer - 2022

Explanation

The first edition of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) was published in 1941.
It was established by the Food and Nutrition Board, part of the National Research Council in the United States.
The initial purpose was to create a nutritional standard to guide the feeding of the armed forces and the general public during World War II.

Option B: This year marks the first revision of the RDA, not its initial publication. The guidelines were updated based on new scientific information.
Option C: This is another year in which revisions to the RDA were made, but it is not the year of the first edition.
Option D: This year is also associated with subsequent updates and discussions around the RDA, not the original publication.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain History of Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses use modern dietary standards (DRIs) to perform nutritional assessments, plan therapeutic diets for patients, and provide education on healthy eating habits.
Understanding the history from RDA to DRI helps nurses appreciate the scientific evolution of nutritional science and its application in preventing both deficiency and chronic diseases.
What if? If a patient has a specific condition like chronic kidney disease, a nurse cannot use the standard RDA/DRI. Instead, they must refer to specialized renal diet guidelines, as the patient's nutrient needs (especially for protein, potassium, and phosphorus) are significantly altered.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the key terms in the question: 'first edition' and 'Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA)'.
Recognize this as a factual recall question that tests knowledge of a specific historical event in nutrition science.
Recall or deduce the historical context. The RDA was established in the US around the time of World War II.
Evaluate the given years. 1941 aligns with the entry of the US into WWII, a major driver for creating these standards.
Eliminate the other options as they represent later dates, which are more likely to be years of revision rather than the initial publication.

Concept Tested & Keywords

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E6 Medicine Harrison 22e Part 2 p. 503-505

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Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.