| Course | INHE 2320 Nutritional Science |
|---|---|
| Week | Week 6 |
| Paper type | Micronutrient gap memo |
| Length | About 680 words, 4 pages |
| Format | Memo, APA 7 citations |
| School | Walden University |
| Program | BS in Integrative Health |
| Updated | October 2026 |
Free sample paper for INHE 2320 Week 6
Memorandum
To: Course instructor, INHE 2320
From: Student analyst
Date: Week 6
Re: Micronutrient intakes below reference values in Dana's three-day record
The Key Caution
A low figure in this memo is not a deficiency. Three days of self-reported intake cannot show what Dana usually eats, and an intake below a reference value cannot show what is happening in her body. Deficiency is diagnosed from signs, symptoms and laboratory tests, none of which a food record provides. What the record can do is flag nutrients worth a closer look.
How the Comparisons Work
Two kinds of reference value are used, and they support different statements. The Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) is the intake that meets the needs of half of healthy people in a group. When a person's usual intake falls below the EAR, the chance that it is inadequate is more than 50%. The Adequate Intake (AI) is set when there is not enough evidence to calculate an EAR; intakes at or above it are probably adequate, but intakes below it cannot be judged inadequate, only uncertain (Institute of Medicine, 2000). The Recommended Dietary Allowance, set above the EAR, is a goal for individuals and is not used here to judge adequacy.
Nutrients Below the Reference
Each figure below comes from matching every recorded item to the federal food composition database (U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service [USDA ARS], 2019) and averaging the three days.
Table 1
Three-day mean intakes below the reference for women aged 31 to 50
| Nutrient | Tuesday | Thursday | Saturday | Three-day mean | Reference | Type | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium | 451 mg | 501 mg | 732 mg | 561 mg | 800 mg | EAR | |
| Vitamin D | 1.1 µg | 0.9 µg | 17.0 µg | 6.3 µg | 10 µg | EAR | |
| Vitamin E | 6.2 mg | 8.3 mg | 14.5 mg | 9.7 mg | 12 mg | EAR | |
| Potassium | 1,990 mg | 2,111 mg | 3,170 mg | 2,424 mg | 2,600 mg | AI | |
| Dietary fiber | 19.6 g | 11.3 g | 19.3 g | 16.8 g | 25 g | AI | |
Intakes calculated from the federal food composition database for each recorded item; reference values from the Dietary Reference Intakes for women aged 31 to 50.
Calcium, vitamin D and vitamin E fall below their EARs on the three-day mean. For these, the honest statement is that if this record reflected Dana's usual intake, her chance of inadequate intake would be more than even. Potassium and fiber fall below their AIs. For these, the honest statement is weaker: her adequacy cannot be judged from these figures.
Why One Day Changes the Picture
Vitamin D shows how much a three-day mean can hide. On Tuesday and Thursday, Dana took in about 1 µg; on Saturday, the salmon alone brought the day to 17 µg. The mean of 6.3 µg is driven by one meal. A different Saturday without fish would have left the mean near 1 µg. Calcium varies less but follows the same pattern, rising on Saturday with pizza cheese and staying low on the weekdays despite milk in coffee and a cheese slice. Day-to-day variation is the main reason a few days of intake describe usual intake poorly for nutrients concentrated in particular foods (Institute of Medicine, 2000).
Nutrients Close to the Line
Magnesium, at 273 mg, sits just above its EAR of 265 mg, and vitamin A, at 528 µg, just above its EAR of 500 µg; Saturday's spinach and carrots supplied most of the vitamin A. These are not flagged, but they would be the first to drop below the line if the record were longer.
What Would Settle the Question
A longer record, ideally including more weekdays, would show whether the weekday pattern of low calcium and vitamin D is typical. For vitamin D specifically, a blood test of 25-hydroxyvitamin D ordered by a clinician is the appropriate way to assess status, since sunlight also contributes and intake alone does not capture it. The memo recommends flagging calcium and vitamin D for discussion, not for supplementation, which would be a clinical decision outside this course. Self-reported records are most useful when their limits are stated plainly, as dietary assessment researchers have argued (Subar et al., 2015).
References
Institute of Medicine. (2000). Dietary reference intakes: Applications in dietary assessment. National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/9956
Subar, A. F., Freedman, L. S., Tooze, J. A., Kirkpatrick, S. I., Boushey, C., Neuhouser, M. L., Thompson, F. E., Potischman, N., Guenther, P. M., Tarasuk, V., Reedy, J., & Krebs-Smith, S. M. (2015). Addressing current criticism regarding the value of self-report dietary data. The Journal of Nutrition, 145(12), 2639-2645. https://doi.org/10.3945/jn.115.219634
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. (2019). FoodData Central: SR Legacy. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
The Walden INHE 2320 Week 6 instructions
Micronutrient assignments ask students to compare vitamin and mineral intakes from a food record with the Dietary Reference Intakes and report any gaps. Prompts often specify a memo format and an audience, such as an instructor or a client's care team. Many ask students to explain which reference value they used and why. Instructors look closely at the language of conclusions. Memos that call intakes below a reference a deficiency, or that compare everything against the RDA without distinguishing average requirements from adequate intakes, usually lose substantial credit, because both overstate what a short record can show.
How the INHE 2320 Week 6 example is put together
After a standard memo header, the opening paragraph gives its main caution. A section explains the Estimated Average Requirement and the Adequate Intake and what each supports, citing the federal applications report, and notes why the RDA is not used to judge adequacy. A table gives daily and mean intakes for five nutrients with reference values and types. Paragraphs state what can and cannot be concluded for each type. A section shows how vitamin D depends on one meal. Short sections cover nutrients near the line and what would settle the question, including a clinician-ordered blood test. Reference values are given for the subject's age and sex group, women aged 31 to 50. Nutrients that cleared their references are not listed in the table but are summarized in a short section.
Reading the INHE 2320 Week 6 rubric
Instructors generally reward cautious, accurate language first, and opening with the limit of the evidence secures that share. Distinguishing comparisons against an EAR from those against an AI earns heavy credit, since it is the technical core of the assignment. Showing daily values beside means, and explaining how one meal moves a mean, demonstrates understanding of variation. Flagging nutrients near the line shows thoroughness. Recommending further assessment rather than supplements keeps the memo within the student's scope. Memo format and correct citations for the reference report, the database and the assessment literature complete the work. Using references for the correct age and sex group is checked, since values differ across groups.
Common INHE 2320 Week 6 mistakes, and how to avoid them
Look up the reference type for each nutrient before comparing. Use the EAR where one exists and say what falling below it means; use the AI only to say adequacy is uncertain. Show each day's intake as well as the mean. Look for nutrients that come mostly from one meal. Avoid the word deficiency. Recommend what would answer the question, such as a longer record or a clinical test, rather than a supplement. If you are unsure which reference applies to each nutrient, we can draft a sample memo for your record. Use references for your subject's age and sex group. Report each day as well as the mean.
Get a INHE 2320 Week 6 example written to your instructions
Send the memo prompt, the rubric and the addressee your classroom's scenario names. None of your own intake figures are needed, since the memo's subject is assembled for teaching. The first costs nothing and comes back inside 24-48 hours, with reference types labeled, missing data flagged and the conclusion placed in its opening lines.
More INHE 2320 papers and BS in Integrative Health samples
- INHE 2320 Week 1: Three-Day Intake Record
- INHE 2320 Week 2: Nutrient Density Comparison
- INHE 2320 Week 3: Food Label Breakdown
- INHE 2320 Week 4: Energy Needs Estimate
- INHE 2320 Week 5: Macronutrient Distribution
- INHE 2320 Week 7: Diet Quality Rating
- INHE 2320 Week 8: Plant-Based Diet Appraisal
- INHE 2320 Week 9: Supplement Claim Check Post
- INHE 2320 Week 10: Meal Plan Revision
- INHE 2320 Week 11: Final Nutrition Case
- INHE 3001 Week 6: Community Fit Post
- INHE 3002 Week 6: Verb Strength Post
- INHE 2002 Week 6: Declining the Answer Post
- INHE 2001 Week 6: Construct Comparison Post
INHE 2320 Week 6 questions, answered
Where can I find a free INHE 2320 Week 6 sample paper?
This page holds the full memo on micronutrients below reference values in Dana's record.
Is an intake below the reference a deficiency?
No. Deficiency is diagnosed clinically; a short food record can only flag nutrients for a closer look.
What is the difference between an EAR and an AI?
Below an EAR, inadequate intake is more likely than not; below an AI, adequacy cannot be judged.
Which nutrients fall below their EARs here?
Calcium, vitamin D and vitamin E.
Why is vitamin D so variable?
One salmon dinner on Saturday supplied almost all of it.