Cholesterol: intake guidance
Reference guidance for cholesterol across life-stage groups, from National Academies: Dietary Reference Intakes for Macronutrients (2002/2005).
Keep dietary cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet.
Adults 19–50.
| Life stage | RDA / AI | UL | EAR | AMDR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infants 0–6 months | - | - | - | - |
| Infants 7–12 months | - | - | - | - |
| Children 1–3 years | Keep dietary cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. | - | - | - |
| Children 4–8 years | Keep dietary cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. | - | - | - |
| Males 9–13 years | Keep dietary cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. | - | - | - |
| Females 9–13 years | Keep dietary cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. | - | - | - |
| Males 14–18 years | Keep dietary cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. | - | - | - |
| Females 14–18 years | Keep dietary cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. | - | - | - |
| Adult males 19–50 | Keep dietary cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. | - | - | - |
| Adult females 19–50 | Keep dietary cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. | - | - | - |
| Adult males 51+ | Keep dietary cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. | - | - | - |
| Adult females 51+ | Keep dietary cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. | - | - | - |
| Pregnancy (19–30) | Keep dietary cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. | - | - | - |
| Lactation (19–30) | Keep dietary cholesterol as low as possible while consuming a nutritionally adequate diet. | - | - | - |
Notes
- The National Academies recommendation is not a scalar RDA, AI, or UL and is not directly comparable to a food's cholesterol value.
- The source recommendation is age-neutral. It is repeated across the site's child and adult display bands; no infant row is inferred.
- The FDA Daily Value for cholesterol is 300 mg for adults and children age 4 years and older. This label reference is not presented as a daily intake target.
Source: National Academies: Dietary Reference Intakes for Macronutrients (2002/2005) (snapshot 2026-08-03)