Omega-6 fatty acids cannot be produced by the body and must be taken in through food or supplements. In the developed world, this isn't difficult to do, since omega-6 fats are common in the diet. In fact, most people take in far more omega-6 fats than necessary, skewing the ratio of omega-6 fats to omega-3 fats in the body.
Definition
Omega-6 fatty acids are a type of polyunsaturated fat, a fat containing a double bond after the sixth carbon atom in the chain. The main dietary omega-6 fat is linoleic acid, or LA. In the body, LA can be converted into other omega-6 fats, such as arachidonic acid, or AA. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, some people take supplemental omega-3 fatty acids to treat eczema, psoriasis, arthritis, diabetes or breast tenderness.
Recommendation for Children
Babies under the age of six months need 4.4 g of omega-6 fatty acids every day and infants between seven months and one year old need 4.6 g daily. For babies, this amount is supplied by breast milk or formula and supplementation is not necessary. Toddlers between one and three years old require 7 g daily of omega-6 fats. From ages four to eight, children need 10 g every day. Girls who are nine to 13 years old continue to need 10 g daily, but boys in this age range need 12 g daily. Female adolescents between 14 and 18 require 11 g daily and males need 16 g every day.
Adult Recommendations
Adult men between 19 and 50 require 17 g of omega-6 fats every day. Females between 19 and 50 need 12 g of omega-6 fats daily. Males older than 51 need a daily dose of 14 g and females over 51 require 11 g daily. Pregnant and lactating women of all ages should get 13 g of omega-6 fats every day. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, the average intake of omega-6 fats in the United States is 12 to 17 g a day for adult men and 9 to 11 g a day for adult women.
Food Sources
Vegetable cooking oils are a major source of dietary omega-6 fatty acids. Safflower oil contains 10.1 g per tablespoon. A tablespoon of sunflower oil has 8.9 g. Corn oil supplies 7.3 g per tablespoon and soybean oil has 6.9 g per serving. Seeds and nuts are another good source, with 9.7 g per oz of sunflower seeds. A 1-oz. serving of pecans has 6.4 g and Brazil nuts contain 5.8 g per oz.
Ratio
The ratio of omega-6 fatty acids to omega-3 fatty acids may be of more concern than the amount of omega-6 fats in the diet. According to a 2002 report in "Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy", the ratio should be close to 1:1, but most people get 15 to 16 times more omega-6 fats than omega-3s. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish, flax seed, algae and some nuts. The Mediterranean diet, which focuses on fish, vegetables, olive oil, garlic and red wine, has a healthy balance of these two fats, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
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