[Dietary sources of fatty acids in childhood]

The first oral supply of fatty acids (FA) is provided by human milk. It contains a large variety of FA, perfectly adequate to the newborn's metabolic needs. Saturated and monounsaturated chains derive from the local mammary gland synthesis, while polyunsaturated very long-chains come from the hydrolysis of circulating lipoproteins and are more dependent on the maternal dietary habits. Trans FA have been shown in human milk too. The fat content of human milk progressively increases during the breast-feeding period; it varies during the day and from feed to feed. Infant formulas contain a very narrow range of FA. No commercially available formula contains the very long-chain polyunsaturated FA. Formulas for pre-term babies enriched with these molecules have been recently studied. The role of medium-chain FA in the early diet of the pre-term infant must still be defined. With weaning, green leafy vegetables become a balanced source of essential FA, while animal foods (both meat and fish) supply not only saturated but also polyunsaturated very long-chain FA. Analogously, vegetal oils are a fundamental source of monounsaturated and essential FA, animal fats (butter, lard) are a rich source of saturated fats and fish oils contain a mixture of n-3 polyunsaturated very long-chain FA. Correct dietary habits for children should provide a rich variety of foods, to reach a balanced supply of all the families of FA. Oleic acid should represent the main FA in the diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)