July 3, 2006 – Without even changing their eating habits, Canadians could reduce their intake of trans fats by 55%. To do this, the government should adopt regulations that would set the maximum thresholds for trans fats contained in processed food products.
This is argued by the Trans Fat Study Group, made up of representatives from the Department of Health, the Heart and Stroke Foundation and the agri-food industry, as well as researchers and consumers. Its mandate was to find solutions to eliminate these fats deemed harmful to cardiovascular health.
The study group recommends imposing a limit of 2% trans fat on the content of vegetable oils and soft margarines used in the production of processed foods, as well as a limit of 5% on other commercial food products (pastries, frozen meals, etc.).
Among Canadians, reducing the average daily intake of trans fat by 55% would lower its importance to less than 1% of overall energy, as recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO).
In terms of public health, this would be an important advance: scientific literature shows that a 2% decrease in trans fat intake reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by 5%.
Harmful fats
Trans fats come from hydrogenation, an industrial process that changes the configuration of unsaturated fatty acid molecules. They allow, among other things, to prolong the conservation of products. Hence their ubiquity in processed foods.
Beginning in the 1980s, scientific studies shed light on the harmful effects of these trans fats on human health. They raise the blood levels of “bad cholesterol” (LDL) while lowering the levels of “good cholesterol” (HDL). This has the effect of increasing the risk of suffering from cardiovascular problems. Trans fats are even more damaging to health than saturated fats (butter, cream, lard, coconut oil, palm oil).
Since December 2005, the labels of food products sold in the country must indicate their trans fat content. The impact of this measure still has its limits. Canada remains the country with the most trans fat per person in the world.
In fact, the average Canadian consumes 8.4 g of trans fat every day, or the equivalent of 10% of their total fat intake. Men aged 18 to 34 are heavy consumers, averaging 38.9 g of trans fat per day2!
Favorable reception
Canadian Health Minister Tony Clement welcomes the report. He said he was confident he could convince his colleagues of the importance of such regulations. Remember that the Conservative Party – when it was in opposition – voted against the motion adopted in parliament in 2004, which initiated the work of the Study Group on Trans Fats.
Tony Clement is expected to share his ministry’s directions next fall. According to the timetable proposed by the Study Group, the regulations would come into force in 2008, with an implementation period of two years.
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The worst sources of trans fat
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Martin LaSalle – PasseportSanté.net
1. TRANSFORMING THE FOOD SUPPLY, Report of the Trans Fat Task Force, Health Canada and Heart and Stroke Foundation, June 28, 2006. The report is available at: www.hc-sc.gc.ca [consulté le 28 juin 2006].
2. On this subject, see the article “A Health Canada researcher at the forefront of trans fat research” at www.hc-sc.gc.ca/sr-sr/activ/ consprod / trans_f.html [consulté le 29 juin 2006].
