Knowledge of the role of fatty acids in determining health and nutritional well-being has expanded dramatically in the past 15 years. To review the major developments in the field of fats and fatty acids in human nutrition, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) convened a meeting of experts in November 2008, the preparation for which had commenced over a year earlier. The experts considered the role of these nutrients, particularly the long chain fatty acids,  in neonatal and infant growth and development, as well as maintenance of health and prevention of chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and age-related functional decline.

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