A fatty acid that cannot be synthesized by the body is referred to as what?

A fatty acid that cannot be synthesized by the body is known as an essential fatty acid. These fatty acids must be obtained through diet because the body lacks the machinery to create them. Essential fatty acids play crucial roles in various physiological processes, including cell membrane integrity, brain function, and the production of signaling molecules.

Non-essential acids, in contrast, can be synthesized by the body and do not need to be obtained through food. Omega fats refer specifically to fatty acids that have a particular structure with their first double bond located at the identified omega position, but this term does not necessarily imply whether they are essential or non-essential. Polyunsaturated acids are a category of fatty acids that include both essential and non-essential fatty acids, so while they may contain essential fatty acids, just being polyunsaturated does not define whether they are required in the diet.