Each percent daily value for the food in the package is based on a 2,000-calorie diet. The 2,000-calorie diet is what experts at the National Research Council say should be about average for adult Americans. An active man might consume 2,500 calories, while a small or inactive woman might need far less than 2,000 calories. An individual's daily values for some nutrients may be different, depending on personal calorie needs. However, daily values for some nutrients are the same for all healthy adults.
Examples are the daily values for cholesterol and sodium.