Why are DRIs described as 'evidence-based' and population-specific rather than universal single targets for every person?

• A. Because they prioritize commercial dietary trends and are updated yearly based on industry-funded studies rather than rigorous public-health research.
• B. Because they are legal nutritional standards applied uniformly across clinical and non-clinical populations to ensure every person meets an identical nutrient intake level regardless of life stage or health.
• C. Because DRIs are designed only for individual clinical treatment plans and are not intended for population-level guidance or policy use, requiring clinicians to disregard them for healthy people.
• D. Because DRIs are derived from scientific research and vary by age, sex, and physiological status, providing different reference values for distinct healthy population groups.

Answer: (D)