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DIETARY TRANS FATTY ACID INTAKE LINKED TO CORONARY HEART DISEASE (pp 732, 747)

March 07, 2001

A high intake of trans fatty acids contributes to the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), conclude authors of a study in this week’s issue of THE LANCET.

Trans fatty acids are mainly present in solid fats produced by part hydrogenation of oils, and are naturally found in products originating from ruminant animals. Current trans fatty acid intake contributes between 0.5% and 2% to energy intake in western Europe, and an estimated 2% of energy intake in the US and Canada. Evidence on the relation between trans fatty acid intake and CHD is limited. Claudia Oomen and colleagues from the National Institute of Public Health and the Environment, Wageningen University and TNO Nutrition, Netherlands, investigated this relation in a Dutch population with a fairly high trans fatty acid intake, including trans fatty acids from partly hydrogenated fish oils.

The investigators prospectively studied 667 men of the Zutphen Elderly Study (a population from the Dutch town of Zutphen, who were first studied in an epidemiological study of CHD in 1960). The participants were aged 64–84 years, and did not have CHD at baseline. Dietary surveys were used to establish the participants’ food consumption patterns. Information on risk factors and diet was obtained in 1985, 1990, and 1995.

After 10 years of follow-up from 1985–95, there were 98 cases of fatal or non-fatal CHD. Between 1985 and 1995, average trans fatty acid intake decreased from 4.3% to 1.9% of energy. After adjustment for age, body mass index, smoking, and dietary factors, trans fatty acid intake at the start of the study was positively associated with a 10-year risk of CHD. The relative risk of CHD was increased by around 25% for a 2% increase of intake of trans fatty acids at baseline.

In an accompanying Commentary (p 732), Antti Aro from the National Public Health Institute, Helsinki, Finland, comments: “As awareness of the unfavourable effects on lipoproteins of trans fatty acids has increased, margarines containing no or low concentrations of such acids have become commonly available in Europe…For reasons of stability and texture deep-fried and processed fatty foods contain saturated or trans fatty acids or both, so it seems prudent to limit intakes of these foods”.

Contact: Wilbert Ransz, Department of Information and PR, National Institute of Public Health & the Environment (RIVM), PO Box 1, NL-3720 BA Bilthoven, Netherlands; T) +31 30 274 4288; F) +31 30 274 4471; E) wilbert.ransz@rivm.nl

Professor Antti Aro, Department of Health and Functional Capacity, National Public Health Institute (KTL), FIN-00300 Helsinki, Finland; T) +358 9 4744 8589; F) +358 9 4744 8591; E) Antti.Aro@ktl.fi

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