ABSTRACT
This chapter addresses issues related to dietary fatty acids, triglycerides, and cholesterol, and the impact of these compounds on health and disease. Fat is classically defined as a group of compounds that are insoluble in water. The most common type of fat in the body and in the foods we eat is triglyceride or triacylglycerol. Fatty acids are small units of fat that are used as building blocks, at least in part, of larger molecules such as triglycerides, phospholipids, cholesteryl esters, and in the case of arachidonic acid, the synthesis of biologically active compounds. Dietary fat is sometimes referred to as saturated, monounsaturated, or polyunsaturated. Cholesterol is a fat soluble compound that is either derived from foods of animal origin or produced endogenously. Individuals with high levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol seem to be protected from development of cardiovascular disease. The postmenopausal increase in low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels has been attributed to the decrease in circulating estrogen levels.
