Harvard Review: Transfat Increases Risks of Heart Disease

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Harvard Review: Trans-fats & Heart Disease

 

 

Harvard Review of evidence verifies that eating " trans-fats " increases risk of

Heart Disease

 

http://www.udoerasmus.com/articles/reviews/item4.htm

 

Boston, MA -- Over the course of the last decade, numerous studies have

examined the relationship between the consumption of trans fatty acids

found in partially " hydrogenated " oils and coronary heart disease (CHD).

 

A comprehensive review of the scientific evidence confirms that eating

trans fatty acids increases the risk of CHD.

 

The review, published in the June 24, 1999, New England Journal of

Medicine, is authored by researchers at the Harvard School of Public

Health and the Wageningen Centre for Food Sciences in the Netherlands.

 

Lead author, Alberto Ascherio, said " Coronary heart disease kills

500,000 Americans each year.

 

According to our estimations, if trans fats were replaced by 'monounsaturated'

oils, we would expect to see at least 30,000 fewer persons die prematurely from

CHD each year. "

 

Trans fatty acids are found in most margarines, in many commercially

baked goods, and in the fats used for deep-frying in many restaurants.

 

The commercial advantages trans-fats hold over monounsaturated oils is

that they are solid at room temperature, they can remain on the shelf

for a longer time before becoming rancid, and they allow for deep-frying

at higher temperatures.

 

" Because of concerns that trans fatty acids increase risk of CHD, " said

Ascherio. " The Food and Drug Administration is considering new

regulations for nutrition labels that will require manufacturers to

report the amount of trans fatty acids. "

--------------------------------

 

Under current guidelines, a consumer who is trying to be heart-healthy

might choose a product that is labeled as being low in 'cholesterol' and

saturated fat,

but which is high in harmful " trans- fats " .

 

The researchers reviewed more than 25 metabolic and epidemiological

studies.

 

The metabolic studies showed that trans-fats have a two-pronged

harmful effect on blood cholesterol levels:

 

trans fats increase " low-density " lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-- " bad

cholesterol " )

and decrease " high-density " lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-- " good

cholesterol " ).

 

The epidemiological studies tracked people’s eating habits and examined

occurrence of CHD later in their lives.

 

These studies found a link between consumption of trans fats and CHD that was

higher than expected from the results of the metabolic studies.

 

" We don’t fully understand all of the ways that trans fats increase risk

of CHD, " said Ascherio, " but it seems clear that they do increase risk. "

 

Ascherio and colleagues urge the food industry to replace the partially

hydrogenated fats used in foods and in food preparation with

unhydrogenated oils:

 

" Such a change would substantially reduce the risk of coronary heart disease at

a modest cost. "

 

Alberto Ascherio is an associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology

at the Harvard School of Public Health.

 

See also: Trans Fatty Acids and Coronary Heart Disease, The New England Journal

of Medicine -- June 24, 1999 -- Vol. 340, No. 25.

 

For further information, please contact:

 

Bob Brustman

Harvard School of Public Health

Department of Nutrition

665 Huntington Avenue

Boston, MA 02115

 

Phone: 617-432-3952

Email: brus- ;

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