PUFA Recommendations

ISSFAL has produced a number of statements which deal with recommendations for dietary intake of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA).The procedures that the Society uses to produce these statements can be viewed by clicking here .

The First Statement is of a general nature, and can be viewed by clicking here.

The Second Statement relates to the fatty acid composition in infant formula, and has recently been revised in the light of recent research publications. The statement completed the required approval processes in May 2008, and can be viewed by clicking here .

The Third Statement deals with recommendations for adults, and is specifically aimed at maintenance of a healthy cardiovascular system. It can be viewed by clicking here .

The Fourth Statement deals with dietary fat intake by pregnant and lactating women. ISSFAL participated in the PERILIP consensus process, and the statement produced by that group was approved as an ISSFAL statement at the Board meeting in Kansas City in May 2008. The Perilip statement was originally printed in the British Journal of Nutrition, in May 2007, and a .pdf of that paper, reproduced by permission from the publisher, Cambridge University Press, can be downloaded by clicking here. ISSFAL appreciates the permission from CUP to make use of this pdf.

The Fifth Statement concerns the extent to which Alpha-Linolenic Acid can be converted to longer chain polyunsaturates, and was approved by the ISSFAL Board in January 2009. The statement has been published in  the  February 2009 issue of the Society journal, Prostaglandins, Leukotrienes and Essential Fatty Acids (PLEFA). The statement can be downloaded in Word format by clicking here. 

The Sixth Statement summarises some of the factors that influence n-3 levels in humans based on a recent systematic review. It concludes with the recommendations that:  in all research studies/trials subjects n-3 status is actually measured; the influence of this on outcome measures is investigated; and, published papers report full fatty acid profiles not just n-3 data. You may view the statement by clicking here.

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The Seventh Statement ‘Omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy to prevent preterm birth’  was announced on September 30, 2022.  Following many years of investigation, there is strong evidence that a proportion of preterm births can be prevented by increasing maternal dietary omega-3 long chain polyunsaturated fatty acid (LCPUFA) intake during pregnancy. You may view the statement by clicking here.

Depending on your ISSFAL membership status, there may be a charge to access these statements. ISSFAL Members have complimentary access to PLEFA.