The amount of monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated fatty acids in the diet of fifteen-year-olds boys and girls in correlation with body mass index values

Introduction
A change in dietary habits affects the biochemical composition of the diet, including the amount of fatty acids and their mutual proportions. The aim of this study was to assess the intake of fatty acids by 15-year-olds in correlation with body mass index (BMI) values.

Material and methods
The study covered a group of 76 boys and 57 girls who were third-year middle-school pupils in Poland. The included a 7-day dietary record for the assessment of the intake of nutrients, energy, and fatty acids using the DIETA FAO.

Results
The results show varied intake of energy and individual fatty acids by children relative to their division into groups depending on BMI values. Boys within the 5th to 85th BMI percentile bracket had the lowest intake of saturated fatty acids. The highest intake of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids was observed among boys in group with the highest BMI percentile. In girls, the lowest intake of saturated fatty acids was in the group of girls below the 5th percentile.

Conclusions
The normal dietary intake of fatty acids n-3 and n-6 occurred amongst 15-year-old boys and girls with BMI below the 5th percentile. In order to achieve a properly balanced diet, it is necessary to increase the intake of monounsaturated fatty acids and reduce the intake of saturated fatty acids at the same time.