he first stage of this study was performed on rats only 2 wk postweaning at a time of rapid developmental change, and therefore the age of the rats is an important factor to consider when interpreting the data from this study. The high plasma triglyceride levels in the young groups may have reflected the adaption during weaning from the high-fat suckling diet and the older rats (fed a lower fat background diet) may have had slower fat digestion and absorption than the younger animals. The significantly higher plasma triglyceride levels in the young group fed the fish oil compared to the mixed-oil diet were unexpected. Generally (n-3) PUFA are considered to lower plasma triglyceride levels; however, the findings of L’Abbé et al. 1991 confirm the results found in the present study, although a mechanism explaining the effect is not clear. By adulthood the level of plasma triglycerides was similar in both groups.