Harmonized approaches to setting recommendations for safe and appropriate dietary intakes and nutritional interventions are critical to support the resolution of differences across countries in setting national and international nutrition standards; promote consistency in public and clinical health objectives; provide a mechanism for designing national and international food and nutrition policies; and enhance the transparency of national standards for trade and other regulatory actions that have economic, health, and safety implications.

Consistent dietary intake recommendations cannot be made without first establishing a consistent approach to derive reference values for population-level nutrient intakes. This tool kit is designed to help global stakeholders, including those in low- and middle-income countries, participate more easily in the process of implementing, disseminating, and evaluating a consistent and homogeneous methodological approach to the nutrient reference value process.