The mean requirement of a group of individuals for a nutrient.
The Estimated Average Requirement (EAR) is one of four possible Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) values established by the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences. The EAR is a value for a nutrient that reflects the average need of individuals of a particular age range and gender. This value can be used to assess nutrient needs or adequacy of a group on the whole. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) or Adequate Intake (AI) for a particular nutrient is calculated as two standard deviations above the EAR.