title: Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the early origins of obesity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The incidence of obesity and its related metabolic disorders has increased significantly over the past 3 decades, culminating in the current global epidemic of metabolic disease and leading to the search for contributing factors. Exposure of the developing foetus/neonate to a typical Western diet increases their risk of obesity and metabolic disorders throughout the life-course, creating an intergenerational cycle of metabolic disease. In Western countries, this epidemic of metabolic disease has coincided with a marked increase in the intake of omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-6 PUFA), leading to suggestions that the two may be causally related.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Recent studies have emphasized the proadipogenic properties of the omega-6 PUFA, and provided evidence that rodents fed on diets with omega-6 PUFA contents similar to the typical US diet (6-8% energy) have an increased fat mass. Importantly, recent studies have shown that perinatal exposure to a high omega-6 PUFA diet results in a progressive accumulation of body fat across generations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review highlights the recent evidence supporting the role of the omega-6 PUFA in the early life origins of obesity and metabolic disease, the need for more clinical studies and the potential need for health agencies to re-evaluate current recommendations to further increase omega-6 PUFA intakes.
authors.affiliation: FOODplus Research Centre, School of Agriculture Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia. beverly.muhlhausler@adelaide.edu.au
authors.forename: Beverly S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Muhlhausler
authors.forename: Gérard P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Ailhaud
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6