The text below is the statement approved by the Board of ISSFAL at its June 2004 meeting in Brighton.

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RECOMMENDATIONS FOR INTAKE OF POLYUNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS IN HEALTHY ADULTS

(Revised in accordance with the recommended changes agreed by the ISSFAL Board at ISSFAL 2004, June 28, 2004)

Background :At the July 2003 meeting of the ISSFAL Executive Committee, it was agreed that a sub-committee be established to :  ‘Write a statement that provides recommendations on the intake of different polyunsaturated fatty acids, along with a brief rationale with respect to each fatty acid as it applied to the healthy adult population. The subcommittee may consider statements from other bodies but may derive its own if felt appropriate. This is to be done in time to enable final agreement to be reached at the Brighton 2004 meeting of the Society.’

The Executive Committee appointed Stephen Cunnane to chair the subcommittee and Christian Drevon, Art Spector, Andy Sinclair and Bill Harris to be the other members. 

This report has three parts :

A. Specific recommendations about the intake of polyunsaturates (PUFA):

1. An adequate linoleic acid (LA) intake : 2 energy %

2. A healthy intake of a-linolenic acid (ALA): 0.7 energy %

3. For cardiovascular health, a minimum intake of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) combined, of: 500 mg/d.

B. A recognition that there may be a healthy upper limit to the intake of LA

C. References and supplementary notes, which are included at the end of the report.