The order in which the nutrient groups are being studied is based primarily on the interest of the funders and the availability of funds. It is anticipated that the next nutrient group examined will be antioxidants. The first report, Calcium and Related Nutrients, has been funded by the Food and Drug Administration, the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services. The second report, Folate and Related B Vitaminshas been funded by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Department of Health and Human Services, and the Office of Dietary Supplements, National Institutes of Health. Funding for the reports on other nutrient groups has not yet been received.
Discussions concerning funding are ongoing with various private sources and foundations.
A maximum of 30 percent of the total cost of the project may come from private sources. Institutional procedures are followed strictly to prevent influence on the study results by the funders and to maintain the independence of the process. It is hoped that the entire set of nutrients will be reviewed and DRIs released by the year 2000. As the work on each nutrient group is completed, a report will be published. Thus there will be a series of reports, each addressing a specific nutrient group.