People who have high amounts of trans fatty acids in their blood have a higher risk of suffering from dementia, compared to people who have low doses.
Food can be poison. In the magazine Neurology, researchers show that eating large amounts of trans fats increases the risk of dementia. They conducted research in the city of Hisayama in Japan for ten years to reach these conclusions.
Trans fatty acids are naturally present in dairy products and in some meats, but they are produced industrially through the manufacture of partially hydrogenated oils. These are accused of increasing the risk of disease, especially heart disease.
A 52% higher risk of suffering from dementia
The researchers gathered data from more than 1,600 patients in their 60s who did not suffer from dementia. Between 2002 and 2003, they carried out a blood test, then were followed for ten years. Among them, 377 were diagnosed with dementia during the study. The researchers divided all of the participants into four groups based on the level of trans fats they had in their blood at the start of the study. Among those who had the most, the incidence was 29.8 cases of dementia per year per 1000 people. In the group with the lowest levels of trans fats in the blood, this rate was 21.3 cases per 1,000 people per year.
The second part of the study allowed the researchers to adjust their results for other risk factors, such as smoking. They conclude that participants with the highest level of trans fats in the blood have a 52% higher risk of developing dementia, compared to the group with the lowest level.
Eliminate trans fatty acids from the global diet
Beforehand, the participants answered questionnaires on their lifestyle and their diet. Researchers have found that pastries are the biggest contributor to increased trans fat levels in the blood, followed by margarine and sweets.
In 2018, the world health organization presented a series of measures to eliminate industrial trans fatty acids. They would be responsible for more than 500,000 deaths worldwide annually. With its plan, the WHO hopes to achieve the elimination of industrial trans fatty acids from the diet by 2023. “These efforts by public health agencies can help prevent cases of dementia across the world, stresses the author of the study Toshiharu Ninomiya, as well as decreasing the frequency of heart disease and all other diseases associated with trans fats.
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