Fatty acids those cannot be synthesized by human body is called:

NVS- 2025

Biochemistry & Nutrition

Easy

Appeared in: NVS- 2025

Explanation

Essential fatty acids (EFAs) are polyunsaturated fatty acids that the human body cannot create on its own and must be acquired through food.
This is because humans lack the desaturase enzymes needed to introduce double bonds at the omega-3 and omega-6 positions of the fatty acid chain.
The two primary EFAs are linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid) and alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid).
EFAs are vital for building healthy cell membranes, proper development and functioning of the brain and nervous system, and producing hormone-like substances called eicosanoids.

Option A: Non-essential fatty acids are those that the body can produce internally, typically from glucose or other fatty acids. Therefore, they are not required in the diet.
Option B: The term 'trans fatty acids' refers to the chemical structure (stereoisomerism) of the fat, not its dietary necessity. These are mostly artificially produced and are known to be harmful to health.
Option C: The term 'monounsaturated' describes a fatty acid with one double bond in its carbon chain. The body can synthesize some monounsaturated fats (like oleic acid), so this classification does not equate to being essential.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Classification of fatty acids based on dietary requirements as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses assess for signs of EFA deficiency, such as scaly dermatitis (phrynoderma), poor wound healing, and hair loss, particularly in patients with malabsorption syndromes or those on long-term TPN without lipids.
Patient education is a key nursing role. This includes advising patients on dietary sources of essential fatty acids like fatty fish (salmon), flaxseed, walnuts, and vegetable oils to promote cardiovascular and overall health.
What if? If a patient is receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) for an extended period, the nurse must ensure the formulation includes an intravenous lipid emulsion. Without it, the patient would develop EFA deficiency as they have no other source of intake.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the key phrase in the question: 'cannot be synthesized by human body'. This is the defining characteristic you need to match.
Understand the meaning of 'essential' in a nutritional context. An essential nutrient is one that the body requires but cannot produce, making it essential to get from the diet.
Evaluate the options based on this definition. 'Essential fatty acids' directly matches the definition of a nutrient that the body cannot make.
Eliminate the other options by defining them. 'Non-essential' is the opposite. 'Trans' and 'Monounsaturated' describe chemical structures, not whether the body can synthesize them.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Classification of fatty acids based on dietary requirements
Stem keywords: Fatty acids, synthesized, human body
Lead-in keywords: cannot be
Negative lead-in flag: The question uses the negative framing 'cannot be synthesized'.

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