Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese 2010: Fat

In the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) for fat, adequate intake (AI) and tentative dietary goal for preventing lifestyle-related disease (DGs) were used. AIs were set for n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are essential fatty acids because they are not produced by the human body and their deficiency leads to dermatitis. DGs have been set for total fat, saturated fat, n-6 fatty acids, n-3 fatty acids, and cholesterol, whose consumption levels affect risk of lifestyle-related disease, including obesity, diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and stroke. As AI for n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, the 50th percentile of n-6 and n-3 fatty acid intake was set. In the Japanese population, 98% of dietary n-6 fatty acids come from linoleic acid; therefore the amount of n-6 fatty acid intake is considered to be that of linoleic acid. Both alpha-linolenic (60% of total n-3 fatty acids) acid and fish oils are considered essential fatty acids because it has been difficult to conclude that only alpha-linolenic acid is essential for humans. The prevention of diabetes mellitus and stroke was emphasized. For example, an increase in saturated fatty acids intake leads to increased incidences in obesity, diabetes, and myocardial infarction, whereas a decrease of saturated fatty acids intake is associated with increased incidence in brain hemorrhage. Therefore, DG of saturated fatty acids in those more than 18 y of age was set between 4.5 and 7% energy.