Table 1.
Daily intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids, α-linolenic acid (ALA) and linoleic acid (LA), calculated on their basis ALA/LA and n–6/n–3 in the diet of different age groups and nationalities.
| Age Group | Fatty Acids Intake | USA | France | Japan | Poland | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reference | Reference | Reference | Reference | ||||||
| Children, young people | LA (g/day) | 12.60 | [26] | 6.10–8.00 | [27] | 10.00 | [28] | 10.33 | [29] |
| ALA (g/day) | 1.40 | 0.70–0.90 | 1.60 | 2.37 | |||||
| LA/ALA | 9.00:1 | 8.71:1–8.89:1 | 6.25:1 | 4.36:1 | |||||
| n–6/n–3 | 9.20:1 | n.a. | 5.10:1 | 4.10:1 | |||||
| adult | LA (g/day) | 15.10 - 15.90 | [30] | 8.40 | [31] | 13.38–14.94 | [32] | 10.30 | [33] |
| ALA (g/day) | 1.50 - 1.60 | 0.90 | 2.14-2.20 | 1.60 | |||||
| LA/ALA | 9.94:1 - 10.07:1 | 9.33:1 | 6.25:1 | 6.44:1 | |||||
| n–6/n–3 | n.a. | n.a. | 3.70:1 | 5.78:1 | |||||
| elderly | LA (g/day) | 14.70 | [26] | 8.60–9.00 | [34] | 11.20–12.40 | [35] | 5.52 (men); 4.56 (women) | [36] |
| ALA (g/day) | 1.60 | 1.00 | 1.58–1.81 | 1.63 (men); 1.39 (women) | |||||
| LA/ALA | 9.19:1 | 8.60:1–9.00:1 | 6.84:1–7.10:1 | 3.39:1 (men); 3.28:1 (women) | |||||
| n–6/n–3 | 7.80:1 | n.a. | 3.28:1–5.00:1 | n.a. | |||||
ALA—α-linolenic acid; LA—linoleic acid; LA/ALA—the ratio of LA/ALA intake per day; n–6/n–3—the ratio of intake n–6 to n–3 PUFAs; n.a.—data not available.