ABSTRACT
I. INTRODUCTION A recent FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Fats and Oils in Human Nutrition concluded that "adequate amounts of dietary fat are essential for health. In addition to their contribution to meeting energy needs, intakes of dietary fat must be sufficient to meet requirements for essential fatty acids and fat soluble vitamins" (I). In developing countries it is important that a sufficient amount of dietary fat is supplied to prevent deficiency. In the Western Hemisphere there is no problem in providing sufficient fat to meet energy requirements. Indeed, the epidemic of obesity in most highly developed countries has led to an understandable emphasis on low-fat, low-energy diets. Particular attention has been given to the need to reduce fat intake because of its high energy density and because studies in human volunteers suggest that dietary fat is less readily oxidized and more readily deposited as depot fat than is the case for carbohydrate and protein (2,3). While obesity is undoubtedly a major nutritional issue, recent research suggests there is a need
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to emphasize the quality as well as the quantity of fat in the western diet. There is now much evidence to support the view that specific fatty acids have beneficial effects on human health, which could contribute to prevention of many chronic diseases of humans. It is possible that overenthusiastic approaches to fat reduction may lead to an unfavorable imbalance in some of the essential or more beneficial fatty acids. For this reason, nutritional concern with respect to fat intakes now concentrates on the need to ensure optimal dietary fatty acid composition, rather than provision of energy, fat-soluble vitamins, and essential fatty acids.
