n-3 Fatty Acids

N-3 fatty acids are consists of α linoleic acid derived from cooking oil, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) derived from fish oil. Animals can not synthesize these fatty acids in their body, then the lack of n-3 fatty acids leads to dermatitis. N-3 fatty acids not only compete with n-6 fatty acids but also have its own physiological effect. Therefore, the reference intakes has been set.

Infant

The approximate amount for 0-5 months infant has been set to 0.9 g/d by multiplying the standard mammalian amount 0.78 L/d to n-3 fatty acids concentration of breast milk 1.16 g/L. The approximate amount for 6-11 months infant has been set to 0.8 g/d by calculating the average of the approximate amount of 0-5 months infant and of 1-2 years old child based on the National Health and Nutrition Survey in 2010 and 2011.

Child and Adult

The approximate amount has been set to the median of n-3 fatty acids intake based on the National Health and Nutrition Survey in 2010 and 2011.

Pregnant and Lactation

The approximate amount has been set to 1.8 g/d, the median of n-3 fatty acids intake based on the National Health and Nutrition Survey in pregnant and lactation from 20108 to 2011.

α linoleic acid

There is a report of negative correlation between α linoleic acid and cardiovascular disease, 1 g/d increase of α linoleic acid intake results 10 % decrease of cardiovascular death. However, there are not enough reports for Japanese subject, then the target amount has not been set. Although the risk of prostate cancer, negative association of egg function and negative possibility of fertility have been reported, they are not determined. The effect of long-term intake of α linoleic acid is not clear.

EPA and DHA

The results of meta analysis on the relationship between EPA and DHA and cardiovascular disease is not consisted. The reports for Japanese subject are JPHC, JACC study and JELIS. The intervention study for stroke in Japanese is JELIS, that has shown not primary prevention effect but secondary prevention. There are meta-analysis of breast cancer cohort studies and report of risk reduction in the meta-analysis of colorectal cancer cohort study. In Japanese, decrease of liver cancer incidence and risk reduced of proximal colon cancer has been reported in JPHC. The association between n-3 fatty acid and depression and dementia is not clear.

Fish include such heavy metals as mercury, cadmium, lead and tin and such toxins as PCB and dioxins. There are another criterion for these harmful substances. Therefore, the Dietary Reference Intakes does not take account into these harmful substances.

Although target amount of α-linoleic acid had been set in 2010 edition, it has not been set in 2015 edition. Although they recommended the intake of grater than 1 g/d of EPA and DHA in 2010 edition, they have not been set in 2015 edition.

2015 edition and 2010 edition of the dietary reference of n-3 fatty acids are following table.

The Dietary Reference Intakes of n-3 fatty acids (g/d) (2015 edition)
Gender Male Female
Age Approximate Amount Approximate Amount
0-5 M 0.9 0.9
6-11 M 0.8 0.8
1-2 0.7 0.8
3-5 1.3 1.1
6-7 1.4 1.3
8-9 1.7 1.5
10-11 1.7 1.4
12-14 2.1 1.8
15-17 2.3 1.7
18-29 2.0 1.6
30-49 2.1 1.6
50-69 2.4 2.0
70- 2.2 1.9
Pregnant 1.8
Lactation 1.8
The Dietary Reference Intakes of n-3 fatty acids (g/d) (2010 edition)
Gender Male Female
Age Approximate Amount (g/d) Target Amount (% energy) Approximate Amount (g/d) Target Amount (% energy)
0-5 M 0.9 0.9
6-11 M 0.9 0.9
1-2 0.9 0.9
3-5 1.2 1.2
6-7 1.6 1.3
8-9 1.7 1.5
10-11 1.8 1.7
12-14 2.1 2.1
15-17 2.5 2.1
18-29 ≤ 2.1 ≤ 1.8
30-49 ≤ 2.2 ≤ 1.8
50-69 ≤ 2.4 ≤ 2.1
70- ≤ 2.2 ≤ 1.8
Pregnant 1.9
Lactation 1.7

References:
The Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2015 edition) Lipid (pdf)
The Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2010 edition) Lipid (pdf)

n-6 Fatty Acids

98% of the n-6 fatty acids that Japanese intake is linoleic acid. The organism can not synthesize n-6 fatty acids. Therefore, they must orally intake them. According to the National Health and Nutrition Survey in 2010 and 2011, the median of the n-6 fatty acids intake of Japanese were 10.0 g/d (4.3 %E) in male and 8.4 g/d (4.6 %E) in female, respectively. There are no reports required to set the Estimated Average Requirement for healthy people or no reports of dermatitis due to lack of n-6 fatty acids in usual diet, the approximate amount has been set.

Infant

The approximate amount for 0-5 months infant has been set to 4.0 g/d by multiplying the standard mammalian amount 0.78 L/d to n-6 fatty acids concentration of breast milk 5.16 g/L. The approximate amount for 6-11 months infant has been set to 4.3 g/d by calculating the average of the approximate amount of 0-5 months infant and of 1-2 years old child.

Adults and Child

The approximate amount has been set to the median of n-6 fatty acids intake based on the National Health and Nutrition Survey in 2010 and 2011.

Pregnant and Lactation

The approximate amount for pregnant has been set to 9 g/d based on the median n-6 fatty acids intake in pregnant in the National Health and Nutrition Survey from 2007 to 2011. The approximate amount for lactation has also been set to 9 g/d based on the median n-6 fatty acids intake in lactation.

It is not fully understood of the risk of linoleic acid that it is ingested in large amounts because it is easily oxidized than such monounsaturated fatty acids as oleic acid. And it is concerned of the safety of high intakes of linoleic acid because linoleic acid generate such inflammation including substance as prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Although the risk of overdose has been assumed for n-6 fatty acids, the approximate amount has not been set because there are no reports for Japanese subject.

The Dietary Reference Intakes of n-6 fatty acids in 2015 edition and 2010 edition are following table.

The Dietary reference Intakes of n-6 fatty acids (g/d) (2015 edition)
Gender Male Female
Age Approximate amount Approximate amount
0-5 M 4 4
6-11 M 4 4
1-2 5 5
3-5 7 6
6-7 7 7
8-9 9 7
10-11 9 8
12-14 12 10
15-17 13 10
18-29 11 8
30-49 10 8
50-69 10 8
70- 8 7
Pregnant 9
Lactation 9
The Dietary Reference Intakes of n-6 fatty acids (2010 edition)
Gender Male Female
Age Approximate (g/d) Target (% energy) Approximate (g/d) Target (% energy)
0-5 M 4 4
6-11 M 5 5
1-2 5 5
3-5 7 6
6-7 8 7
8-9 9 8
10-11 10 9
12-14 11 10
15-17 13 11
18-29 11 < 10 9 < 10
30-49 10 < 10 9 < 10
50-69 10 < 10 8 < 10
70- 8 < 10 7 < 10
Addition for Pregnant + 1
Addition for Lactation + 0

References:
The Dietary reference Intakes for Japanese (2015 edition) Lipid (pdf)
THe Dietary reference Intakes for Japanese (2010 edition) Lipid (pdf)

Lipid

The Dietary Reference Intakes have been set in lipids, saturated fatty acids, n-6 fatty acids and n-3 fatty acids. They have not been set in monounsaturated fatty acids, trans fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid, diacylglycerol, medium chain triacylglycerol, plant sterols and cholesterol.

Especially, the Dietary Reference Intakes had been set for cholesterol in 2010 edition, such as 750 mg/d in male and 600 mg/d in female, they have been deleted in 2015 edition.

Lipid (fat energy ratio)

The Dietary Reference Intakes of lipid in 2015 edition and 2010 edition, the ratio of lipid in total energy (fat energy ratio), are following tables. The target amount in age group of grater than 30 years old has been revised. The Dietary Reference Intakes for pregnant and lactation have not been set.

The Dietary Reference Intakes of Lipid (% energy) (2015 edition)
Gender Male Female
Age Approximate amount Target amount (Median) Approximate amount Target amount (Median)
0-5 M 50 50
6-11 M 40 40
1-2 20-30 (25) 20-30 (25)
3-5 20-30 (25) 20-30 (25)
6-7 20-30 (25) 20-30 (25)
8-9 20-30 (25) 20-30 (25)
10-11 20-30 (25) 20-30 (25)
12-14 20-30 (25) 20-30 (25)
15-17 20-30 (25) 20-30 (25)
18-29 20-30 (25) 20-30 (25)
30-49 20-30 (25) 20-30 (25)
50-69 20-30 (25) 20-30 (25)
70- 20-30 (25) 20-30 (25)
Pregnant
Lactation
The Dietary Reference Intakes of Lipid (% energy) (2010 edition)
Gender Male Female
Age Approximate amount Target amount (Median) Approximate amount Target amount (Median)
0-5 M 50 50
6-11 M 40 40
1-2 20-30 20-30
3-5 20-30 20-30
6-7 20-30 20-30
8-9 20-30 20-30
10-11 20-30 20-30
12-14 20-30 20-30
15-17 20-30 20-30
18-29 20-30 20-30
30-49 20-25 20-25
50-69 20-25 20-25
70- 20-25 20-25
Pregnant
Lactation

References:
The Dietary reference Intakes for Japanese (2015 edition) Lipid (pdf)
THe Dietary reference Intakes for Japanese (2010 edition) Lipid (pdf)