title: Dietary intakes and food sources of fatty acids for Belgian women, focused on n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
abstract: The intake of fat, saturated and monounsaturated FA (SFA and MUFA), and omega-6 and omega-3 PUFA has been estimated in 641 Belgian women (age 18-39 y). Their food intake was recorded using a 2-d food diary. The PUFA included were linoleic (LA), alpha-linolenic (LNA), arachidonic (AA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA), docosapentaenoic (DPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA) acids. The mean total fat intake corresponded to 34.3% of total energy intake (E). The mean intake of the FA groups corresponded to 13.7%, 13.1%, and 6.0% of E, for SFA, MUFA, and PUFA, respectively. The mean intake of LA was 5.3% of E and of LNA was 0.6% of E, with a mean LA/LNA ratio of 8.7. The mean intake of AA was 0.03% of E. The mean intake of EPA, DPA, and DHA was 0.04%, 0.01%, and 0.06% of E, respectively. According to the Belgian recommendations, the total fat and SFA intake was too high for about three-quarters of the population. The mean LA and overall n-6 PUFA intake corresponded with the recommendation, with part of the population exceeding the upper level. Conversely, the population showed a large deficit for LNA and n-3 PUFA. The major food source for LA and LNA was fats and oils, followed by cereal products. The main sources of long-chain PUFA were fish and seafood, and meat, poultry, and eggs. From a public health perspective, it seems desirable to tackle the problem of low n-3 PUFA intake.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium. isabelle.sioen@ugent.be
authors.forename: Isabelle A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Sioen
authors.forename: Ilse
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pynaert
authors.forename: Christophe
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Matthys
authors.forename: Guy
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Backer
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Camp
authors.forename: Stefaan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Henauw
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001530:Belgium; D004034:Diet Surveys; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000032:analysis; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis; D002149:Energy Intake; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000032:analysis*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D005504:Food Analysis; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D017747:Seafood / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6