Table 1.
Current recommendations for PUFA intake in specific population groups according to different national and international authoritiesa
| Region/country (authority) | Age/age group | Year | LA | ARA | Total n-3 PUFAs | ALA | EPA | DHA | EPA + DHA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Europe (EFSA) [18, 52] | Pregnant and lactating women | 2010 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 0.5 E% | – | 100.0–200.0 mg/db | 250.0 mg/d |
| 0–6 mo | 2013 | 4.0 E% | 140.0 mg/d | – | 0.5 E% | – | 100.0 mg/d | – | |
| 7–24 mo | 2010 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 0.5 E% | – | 100.0 mg/d | – | |
| >2 y | 2010 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 0.5 E% | – | – | 250.0 mg/d | |
| Elderly (= adults) | 2010 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 0.5 E% | – | – | 250.0 mg/d | |
| Worldwide (FAO/WHO) [19] | Pregnant and lactating women | 2008 | 2.5–9.0 E% (ADMR) 2.0 E% (EAR) 2.0–3.0 E% | – | 0.5–2.0 E% (AMDR) | >0.5 E% (L-AMDR) | – | 200.0 mg/d (ANR) | 300.0 mg/d (ANR) |
| 0–6 mo | 2008 | Human milk | 0.2–0.3 E% human milk (U-AMDR) | – | 0.2–0.3 E% | – | 0.1–0.2 E% <0.8 E% (U-AMDR) | – | |
| 6–24 mo | 2008 | 3.0–4.5 E% <10.0 E% (U-ADMR) | – | – | 0.4–0.6 E% <3.0 E% (U-AMDR) | – | – | 10.0–12.0 mg/kg BW | |
| 2–4 y | 2008 | 3.0–4.5 E% <10.0 E% (U-AMDR) | – | 0.5–2.0 E% (AMDR) | >0.5 E% (L-AMDR) | – | – | 100.0–150.0 mg/d | |
| 4–6 y | 2008 | 2.5–9.0 E% (AMDR) 2.0 E% (EAR) 2.0–3.0 E% | – | 0.5–2.0 E% (AMDR) | >0.5 E% (L-AMDR) | – | – | 150.0–200.0 mg/d | |
| 6–10 y | 2008 | 2.5–9.0 E% (AMDR) 2 E% (EAR) 2.0–3.0 E% | – | 0.5–2.0 E% (AMDR) | >0.5 E% (L-AMDR) | – | – | 200.0–250.0 mg/d | |
| 10–18 y | 2008 | 2.5–9.0 E% (AMDR) 2.0 E% (EAR) 2.0–3.0 E% | – | 0.5–2.0 E% (AMDR) | >0.5 E% (L-AMDR) | – | – | 250.0–2,000.0 mg/d (AMDR) | |
| Elderly (= adults) | 2008 | 2.5–9.0 E% (AMDR) 2.0 E% (EAR) 2.0–3.0 E% | – | 0.5–2.0 E% (AMDR) | >0.5 E% (L-AMDR) | – | – | 250.0–2,000.0 mg/d (AMDR) | |
| Belgium (superior health council of Belgium)c [53] | 0–6 mo | 2009 | 4.4 g/d | – | – | 0.5 g/d | – | – | – |
| 7–12 mo | 2009 | 4.6 g/d | – | – | 0.5 g/d | – | – | – | |
| 1–18 y | 2009 | 2.0–5.0 E%d | 0.1–0.3 E% | – | 0.5–1.5 E% | 0.1–0.2 E% | 0.1–0.4 E% | – | |
| Elderly (= adults) | 2009 | >2.0 E% | – | 1.3–2.0 E% | >1.0 E% | – | – | 0.3 E% | |
| Belgium (superior health council of Belgium) [53] | 0–6 mo | 2016 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 1.0 E% | – | – | – |
| 7–12 mo | 2016 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 1.0 E% | – | 100.0 mg/d | – | |
| 1–3 yrs | 2016 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 1.0 E% | – | 100.0 mg/d | – | |
| 3–18 yrs | 2016 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 1.0 E% | – | – | 250.0–500.0 mg/d | |
| Elderly (= adults) | 2016 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 1.0 E% | – | – | 250.0–500.0 mg/d | |
| France (ANSES) [4] | Pregnant women (2,050 kcal) | 2011 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 1.0 E% | – | 250.0 mg/d | 500.0 mg/d |
| Lactating women (2,250 kcal) | 2011 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 1.0 E% | – | 250.0 mg/d | 500.0 mg/d | |
| 0–6 mo | 2011 | 2.7 E% | 0.5% of total FA | – | 0.5 E% | EPA < DHA | 0.3% of total FA | – | |
| 6–36 mo | 2011 | 2.7 E% | – | – | 0.5 E% | – | 70.0 mg/d | – | |
| 3–9 y | 2011 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 1.0 E% | – | 125.0 mg/d | 250.0 mg/d | |
| 10–18 y | 2011 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 1.0 E% | – | 250.0 mg/d | 500.0 mg/d | |
| Elderly | 2011 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 1.0 E% | 250.0 mg/d | 250.0 mg/d | 500.0 mg/d | |
| Germany – Austria – Switzerland (D-A-CH)c [54] | Pregnant and lactating women | 2013 | 2.5 E% | – | – | 0.5 E% | – | – | – |
| 0–4 mo | 2013 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 0.5 E% | – | > 200.0 mg/d | – | |
| 4–12 mo | 2013 | 3.5 E% | – | – | 0.5 E% | – | – | – | |
| 1–4 y | 2013 | 3.0 E% | – | – | 0.5 E% | – | – | – | |
| 4–19 y | 2013 | 2.5 E% | – | – | 0.5 E% | – | – | – | |
| Elderly | 2013 | 2.5 E% | – | – | 0.5 E% | – | – | – | |
| Switzerland (Eidgenössische Ernährungskommission) [55] | Pregnant and lactating women | 2013 | – | – | – | – | – | > 200.0 mg/d | – |
| Elderly (= adults) | 2013 | – | – | 0.5–2.0 E% | – | – | – | 500.0 mg/d | |
| The Netherlands (Health Council of the Netherlands) [56] | 0–5 mo | 2001 | 0.6 g/kg BW | 0.0 g/kg BW | 0.1 g/kg BW | – | – | 0.0 g/kg BW | – |
| 6 mo–18 y | 2001 | – | – | – | – | – | – | 150.0–200.0 mg/d | |
| Elderly (= adults) | 2001 | 2.0 E% | 1.0 E% | – | – | – | – | 450.0 mg/de | |
| Nordic countriesc [57] | Pregnant and lactating women | 2012 | – | – | >1.0 E% | – | – | 200.0 mg/d | – |
| 6–23 mo | 2012 | – | – | >1.0 E% | – | – | – | – | |
| >2 y | 2012 | 2.5 E%f | – | – | >0.5 E% | – | – | – | |
| Poland [58] | Pregnant and lactating women | 2012 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 0.5 E% | 250.0 mg/d | 100.0–200.0 mg/d | – |
| 1–2 y | 2012 | 5.0 E% | – | – | 1.0 E% | – | 100.0 mg/d (<2 y) | – | |
| 2–18 y | 2012 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 0.5 E% | – | – | 250.0 mg/d | |
| Elderly (= adults) | 2012 | 4.0 E% | – | – | 0.5 E% | – | – | 250.0 mg/d | |
| Spain (AEP) [1] | 6 mo–2 y | 2006 | 3.0–4.5 E% | – | – | >0.5 E% | – | – | – |
| Spain (AECOSAN) [59] | >2 y | 2014 | – | – | – | 2.0 g/d | – | <200.0 mg/d | – |
| Elderly (= adults) | 2014 | – | – | – | 2.0 g/d | – | <200.0 mg/d | – | |
Values are adequate intake unless otherwise noted.
y, year; mo, months; g/d, grams per day; mg/d, milligrams per day; E%, energy percentage; PUFAs, polyunsaturated fatty acids; –, no data available; LA, linoleic acid; ARA, arachidonic acid; n-3, omega-3 PUFA; ALA, α-linolenic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; ADMR, acceptable macronutrient distribution range; L-AMDR, lower acceptable macronutrient distribution range; U-AMDR, upper acceptable macronutrient distribution range; EAR, estimated average requirement; ANR, average nutrient requirement; BW, body weight.
Total n-6 PUFAs is not included in this online supplemental table as there are only recommendations set for the adult population and this is not a target group in our review.
In addition to the 250.0 mg of (EPA + DHA).
Total n-6 PUFA has been set for adults: 4.0–8.0 E% (Belgium); 2.5–9.0 E% (Switzerland).
DRI unit not mentioned.
As 2 serving fish per week (Guidelines for healthy diet, 2006).
Obtained by calculation (official recommendation is for total LA + ALA, and for ALA).