To the Editor: Industrially produced trans fatty acids in popularfoods such as fast foods, cookies, cakes, and snacks1 are graduallybeing replaced in the United States and Western Europe by otherfatty acids because of societal pressure and legislative regulations.2This movement is driven by increasing scientific evidence ofthe harmful effects of industrially produced trans fatty acidson health, especially the increased risk of coronary heart disease,3and by the lack of evidence of any beneficial health effects.The consumption of trans fatty acids is associated gram forgram with a greater risk of coronary heart disease than is theconsumption of saturated fatty acids. The risk of trans fattyacids is even more pronounced as compared with that of monounsaturatedfatty acids and especially polyunsaturated fatty acids.4 Despitethe obvious theoretical health benefits of replacing trans fattyacids with other fatty acids in food products, concern has beenexpressed that this change might increase the intake of saturatedfatty acids.5 In light of this concern, we have investigatedvarious popular foods that contain high concentrations of transfatty acids. We have examined which types of fatty acids arepresent in these foods as compared with similar foods that containlow concentrations of trans fatty acids.
Nineteen food items containing a high amount of trans fattyacids and 19 similar food items containing a low amount of transfatty acids were purchased from large supermarkets and fast-foodoutlets in 14 countries from 2005 through 2008. The fatty acidprofiles were analyzed, and similar types of foods bought inthe same country were compared.
The results are shown in Figure 1. French fries, cookies, cakes,and microwave-oven popcorn with low concentrations of transfatty acids had higher concentrations of saturated, monounsaturated,and polyunsaturated fatty acids than did corresponding productswith a high content of trans fatty acids. In french fries witha low trans fatty acid content, as compared with french frieswith a high trans fatty acid content, the average proportionof fatty acids from trans fatty acids decreased by 18 percentagepoints, the proportions from saturated fatty acids and monounsaturatedfatty acids were the same, and the proportion from polyunsaturatedfatty acids increased by 19 percentage points. The correspondingcomparisons for microwave-oven popcorn were as follows: transfatty acids, –46 percentage points; saturated fatty acids,+24 percentage points; monounsaturated fatty acids, +15 percentagepoints; and polyunsaturated fatty acids, +8 percentage points.For cakes and cookies, the corresponding comparisons were transfatty acids, –40 percentage points; saturated fatty acids,+33 percentage points; monounsaturated fatty acids, +5 percentagepoints; and polyunsaturated fatty acids, +4 percentage points.
Figure 1. Trans Fatty Acids and Saturated, Monounsaturated, and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids as Percentages of Total Fatty Acids.
The average increase or decrease in percentage points is shown for foods with a low amount of trans fatty acids as compared with similar foods with a high trans fatty acid content, according to country.
In most countries, popular foods with high levels of trans fattyacids and foods with low levels are available at similar prices.Our data show that the trans fatty acids in these foods canbe replaced with a mixture of saturated, monounsaturated, andpolyunsaturated fatty acids. The nutritional benefit of thisshift in fatty acid composition for popular foods is even greaterthan the benefit of a one-to-one substitution of trans fattyacids with saturated fatty acids.
Steen Stender, M.D. Arne Astrup, M.D. Jørn Dyerberg, M.D. Gentofte University Hospital 2900 Hellerup, Denmark stst{at}geh.regionh.dk
References
Stender S, Dyerberg J, Astrup A. High levels of industrially produced trans fat in popular fast foods. N Engl J Med 2006;354:1650-1652. [Free Full Text]
L'Abbé MR, Stender S, Skeaff M, Ghafoorunissa, Tavella M. Approaches to remove trans fats from the food supply in industrialized and developing countries. Eur J Clin Nutr 2009;63:Suppl 2:S50-S67. [Medline]
Mozaffarian D, Katan MB, Ascherio A, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC. Trans fatty acids and cardiovascular disease. N Engl J Med 2006;354:1601-1613. [Free Full Text]
Mente A, de Koning L, Shannon HS, Anand SS. A systematic review of the evidence supporting a causal link between dietary factors and coronary heart disease. Arch Intern Med 2009;169:659-669. [Free Full Text]
Aro A. The scientific basis for trans fatty acid regulations -- is it sufficient? A European perspective. Atheroscler Suppl 2006;7:67-68. [Web of Science][Medline]
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