Dietary fatty acids have been associated with the development of chronic diseases. The methods commonly used in dietary assessment for estimating nutrient intake in clinical and epidemiological studies present limitations regarding data collection. The use of plasma and adipose tissue fatty acid composition as markers of the type of fat ingested has been studied and can provide a more accurate measurement of dietary fat intake. The aim of this study is to evidence the metabolic aspects of some fatty acids and their role as markers of dietary fat intake, and to present the analytical methods used in their determination. Analysis of the fatty acid composition of adipose tissue provides long-term information on dietary fat intake, whereas the determination of the fatty acid composition of serum lipid fractions accounts for the short- and medium-term dietary intakes. The essential fatty acids, the saturated fatty acids with an odd number of carbon atoms (15:0 and 17:0) and the trans fatty acids are used as biological markers of dietary fat intake or of these individual components, since they are not synthesized endogenously. Gas chromatography and high-performance liquid chromatography are the main analytical methods used to determine fatty acid composition. At present, the most comprehensive evaluation of dietary fat intake comprises the determination of biological markers in association with dietary assessment methods.
fatty acids; diet; lipids; biological markers; adipose tissue
