title: The health implications of changing linoleic acid intakes.
abstract: Linoleic acid is the most prominent polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in the Western diet. It is virtually found in every food we eat and is the predominant PUFA in land-based meats, dairy, vegetables, vegetable oils, cereals, fruits, nuts, legumes, seeds and breads. Because linoleic acid is the metabolic precursor of arachidonic acid and bioactive eicosanoids derived from arachidonic acid, there is concern that dietary linoleic acid could augment tissue arachidonic acid content, eicosanoid formation and subsequently enhance the risk of and/or exacerbate conditions associated with acute and chronic diseases (i.e., cancers, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, neurological disorders, etc.). The following series of papers examines the impact of modifying dietary levels of linoleic acid on health outcomes. The authors were asked to start with current intakes of linoleic acid (adults) and determine if health outcomes would change if linoleic acid intake increased or decreased. The authors addressed changes in tissue arachidonic acid content and eicosanoid formation, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, and psychiatric disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, University of Tennessee, 229 Jessie Harris Building, 1215 West Cumberland Avenue, Knoxville, TN 37996-1920, USA. jwhelan@utk.edu
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Whelan
mesh_terms: D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism; D015777:Eicosanoids / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000378:metabolism*; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism*; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D015777:Eicosanoids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid