Nutritional Indices for Assessing Fatty Acids: A Mini-Review

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2020 Aug 14

PMID 32784511

Citations 231

Authors

Jiapeng Chen

Hongbing Liu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Dietary fats are generally fatty acids that may play positive or negative roles in the prevention and treatment of diseases. In nature, fatty acids occur in the form of mixtures of saturated fatty acid (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), so their nutritional and/or medicinal values must be determined. Herein, we do not consider the classic indices, such as ∑SFA, ∑MUFA, ∑PUFA, ∑n-6 PUFA, ∑n-3 PUFA, and n-6 PUFA/n-3 PUFA; instead, we summarize and review the definitions, implications, and applications of indices used in recent years, including the PUFA/SFA, index of atherogenicity (IA), the index of thrombogenicity (IT), the hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio (HH), the health-promoting index (HPI), the unsaturation index (UI), the sum of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid (EPA + DHA), fish lipid quality/flesh lipid quality (FLQ), the linoleic acid/α-linolenic acid (LA/ALA) ratio, and fatty acid (TFA). Of these nutritional indices, IA and IT are the most commonly used to assess the composition of fatty acids as they outline significant implications and provide clear evidence. EPA + DHA is commonly used to assess the nutritional quality of marine animal products. All indices have their advantages and disadvantages; hence, a rational choice of which to use is critical.

Citing Articles

Exploring the Potential of Olive By-Products in Bísaro Pig Feed: Effects on the Chemical Compositions and Fatty Acid Profiles of Three Different Muscles.

Paie-Ribeiro J, Pinheiro V, Guedes C, Gomes M, Teixeira J, Leite A Foods. 2025; 14(5).

PMID: 40077538 PMC: 11898989. DOI: 10.3390/foods14050836.

Effect of Frying Temperature on Lipid Binding, Fatty Acid Composition, and Nutritional Quality of Fish Crackers Prepared from Carp ( L.) and Tapioca Starch ().

Tokarczyk G, Bienkiewicz G, Biernacka P, Przybylska S, Sawicki W, Tabaszewska M Molecules. 2025; 30(5).

PMID: 40076362 PMC: 11901817. DOI: 10.3390/molecules30051139.

Comparative Analysis of Feeding Largemouth Bass () with Trash Fish and a Compound Diet: Effects on the Growth Performance, Muscle Quality and Health Condition.

Yang Y, Xing Y, Zhang N, Li F, Yan X, Zhang M Animals (Basel). 2025; 15(5).

PMID: 40075938 PMC: 11898117. DOI: 10.3390/ani15050654.

Association Between Atherogenic, Thrombogenic, and Lipophilic Indices and the Odds of Diabetic Nephropathy in Type 2 Diabetic Patients: A Case-Control Study.

Abbasi B, Ghanbarzadeh E, Panahizadeh B Food Sci Nutr. 2025; 13(3):e4686.

PMID: 40041714 PMC: 11876850. DOI: 10.1002/fsn3.4686.

Photobiota of the Tropical Red Sea: Fatty Acid Profile Analysis and Nutritional Quality Assessments.

Gozai-Alghamdi S, Aljbour S, Amin S, Agusti S Molecules. 2025; 30(3).

PMID: 39942724 PMC: 11820627. DOI: 10.3390/molecules30030621.

References

Alvarenga A, Sousa R, Parreira G, Chiarini-Garcia H, Almeida F . Fatty acid proﬁle, oxidative stability of pork lipids and meat quality indicators are not affected by birth weight. Animal. 2014; 8(4):660-6. DOI: 10.1017/S1751731114000093. View

Magnusson J, Ekstrom S, Kull I, Hakansson N, Nilsson S, Wickman M . Polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma at 8 years and subsequent allergic disease. J Allergy Clin Immunol. 2017; 142(2):510-516.e6. DOI: 10.1016/j.jaci.2017.09.023. View

Langley M, Triplet E, Scarisbrick I . Dietary influence on central nervous system myelin production, injury, and regeneration. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis. 2020; 1866(7):165779. DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2020.165779. View

Kjolbaek L, Benitez-Paez A, Gomez Del Pulgar E, Brahe L, Liebisch G, Matysik S . Arabinoxylan oligosaccharides and polyunsaturated fatty acid effects on gut microbiota and metabolic markers in overweight individuals with signs of metabolic syndrome: A randomized cross-over trial. Clin Nutr. 2019; 39(1):67-79. DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2019.01.012. View

Hosseini H, Mahmoudzadeh M, Rezaei M, Mahmoudzadeh L, Khaksar R, Khosroshahi N . Effect of different cooking methods on minerals, vitamins and nutritional quality indices of kutum roach (Rutilus frisii kutum). Food Chem. 2013; 148:86-91. DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.10.012. View

Johnson E, Schaefer E . Potential role of dietary n-3 fatty acids in the prevention of dementia and macular degeneration. Am J Clin Nutr. 2006; 83(6 Suppl):1494S-1498S. DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/83.6.1494S. View

Correa L, Zanetti M, Del Claro G, de Melo M, Rosa A, Netto A . Effect of supplementation of two sources and two levels of copper on lipid metabolism in Nellore beef cattle. Meat Sci. 2012; 91(4):466-71. DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2012.02.033. View

Casamassima D, Nardoia M, Palazzo M, Vizzarri F, DAlessandro A, Corino C . Effect of dietary extruded linseed, verbascoside and vitamin E supplements on yield and quality of milk in Lacaune ewes. J Dairy Res. 2014; 81(4):485-93. DOI: 10.1017/S0022029914000387. View

Brogna D, Nasri S, Ben Salem H, Mele M, Serra A, Bella M . Effect of dietary saponins from Quillaja saponaria L. on fatty acid composition and cholesterol content in muscle Longissimus dorsi of lambs. Animal. 2012; 5(7):1124-30. DOI: 10.1017/S1751731111000048. View

10.

Burdge G, Jones A, Wootton S . Eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic acids are the principal products of alpha-linolenic acid metabolism in young men*. Br J Nutr. 2002; 88(4):355-63. DOI: 10.1079/BJN2002662. View

11.

Gomes-Laranjo J, Peixoto F, Wong Fong Sang H, Torres-Pereira J . Study of the temperature effect in three chestnut (Castanea sativa Mill.) cultivars' behaviour. J Plant Physiol. 2006; 163(9):945-55. DOI: 10.1016/j.jplph.2005.06.020. View

12.

Bodas R, Manso T, Mantecon A, Juarez M, de la Fuente M, Gomez-Cortes P . Comparison of the fatty acid profiles in cheeses from ewes fed diets supplemented with different plant oils. J Agric Food Chem. 2010; 58(19):10493-502. DOI: 10.1021/jf101760u. View

13.

Syren M, Turolo S, Marangoni F, Milani G, Edefonti A, Montini G . The polyunsaturated fatty acid balance in kidney health and disease: A review. Clin Nutr. 2017; 37(6 Pt A):1829-1839. DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2017.11.019. View

14.

Rodriguez M, Garcia-Garcia R, Arias-Alvarez M, Millan P, Febrel N, Formoso-Rafferty N . Improvements in the conception rate, milk composition and embryo quality of rabbit does after dietary enrichment with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Animal. 2018; 12(10):2080-2088. DOI: 10.1017/S1751731117003706. View

15.

Realini C, Perez-Juan M, Gou P, Diaz I, Sarraga C, Gatellier P . Characterization of Longissimus thoracis, Semitendinosus and Masseter muscles and relationships with technological quality in pigs. 2. Composition of muscles. Meat Sci. 2013; 94(3):417-23. DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2013.03.007. View

16.

Brenna J, Salem Jr N, Sinclair A, Cunnane S . alpha-Linolenic acid supplementation and conversion to n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in humans. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids. 2009; 80(2-3):85-91. DOI: 10.1016/j.plefa.2009.01.004. View

17.

Wojciak K, Stasiak D, Ferysiuk K, Solska E . The influence of sonication on the oxidative stability and nutritional value of organic dry-fermented beef. Meat Sci. 2018; 148:113-119. DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2018.10.010. View

18.

ABRAMI G, Natiello F, Bronzi P, McKenzie D, Bolis L, Agradi E . A comparison of highly unsaturated fatty acid levels in wild and farmed eels (Anguilla anguilla). Comp Biochem Physiol B. 1992; 101(1-2):79-81. DOI: 10.1016/0305-0491(92)90161-j. View

19.

Raff M, Tholstrup T, Sejrsen K, Straarup E, Wiinberg N . Diets rich in conjugated linoleic acid and vaccenic acid have no effect on blood pressure and isobaric arterial elasticity in healthy young men. J Nutr. 2006; 136(4):992-7. DOI: 10.1093/jn/136.4.992. View

20.

Wu H, Xu L, Ballantyne C . Dietary and Pharmacological Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Health. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2019; 105(4). PMC: 7174038. DOI: 10.1210/clinem/dgz174. View