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. 2021 Oct 9;13(10):3547. doi: 10.3390/nu13103547

Table 3.

Recommended cut-off values and summary of the evaluation against the recommendation (values are: number of studies not in line with recommendations/total number of studies and % studies not in line with recommendations).

Fat or FA Recommendation 1–2 y 2–3 y 3–5 y 5–7 y
Total fat 1–2 y: Min. 35% (Min. FAO/WHO and Min. EFSA)
2–3 y: Min. 35%E (Max. FAO/WHO and Min. EFSA)
3–5 y: 25–35%E (FAO/WHO and mid-range of EFSA)
5–7 y: 25–35% (FAO/WHO and EFSA for upper end of the range)
23/26
(88%)
too low
25/28
(89%)
too low
5.25 */33
(16%)
too low
5.5/33
(17%)
too high
3/34
(9%)
too low
6.5/34
(19%)
too high
SFA FAO/WHO 2010: Max. 8%E No recommendation 24/26
(92%)
too high
30.75/32
(96%)
too high
32.5/33
(98%)
too high
SFA FAO/WHO 2019:
Max 10%E
No recommendation 19/26
(73%)
too high
22/32
(69%)
too high
24/33
(73%)
too high
LA FAO/WHO:
1–2 y: Min 3%E
>2 y: Min 2%
4/17
(24%)
too low
0/18
0%
0/22
0%
0/18
0%
LA EFSA:
4%E
10/17
(59%)
too low
8/18
(44%)
too low
9/22
(41%)
too low
9/18
(50%)
too low
ALA 0.5%E 8/19 (42%)
too low
10/20
(50%)
too low
10/24
(42%)
too low
8/19
(42)%
too low
DHA or
EPA + DHA
FAO/WHO:
DHA 1–2 y: Min 100 mg
EPA+DHA
2–3 y: Min 100 mg
3–5 y: Min 125 mg
5–7 y: Min. 175 mg
12/13 (92%)
too low
7/10
(70%)
too low
9/14
(64%)
too low
11/11
(100%)
too low
DHA or
EPA + DHA
EFSA
DHA 1–2 y: 100 mg
EPA+DHA
>2 y: 250 mg
12/13
(92%)
too low
10/10
(100%)
too low
14/14
(100%)
too low
11/11
(100%)
too low

Abbreviations: y: year; ALA: alpha-linolenic acid; DHA: docosahexaenoic acid; EFSA: European Food Safety Authority; EPA: eicosapentaenoic acid; FAO: Food and Agriculture Organisation; LA: linoleic acid; SFA: saturated fatty acids; WHO: World Health Organisation. * A few studies were counted as half or quarter if some of the subjects within the study met the recommendations, but some subjects did not e.g., boys (1/2 study) met recommendations, girls (1/2 study) did not.