POSITION PAPER ON TRANS-FATTY-ACIDS - ASCN AIN TASK-FORCE ON TRANS-FATTY-ACIDS/

This report addresses the current controversy about possible health ha zards of dietary tuans fatty acid isomers, which are created during hy drogenation of unsaturated fats to change their textural properties an d melting points. Estimates of intakes are approximations based on lim ited data and problematic analytic techniques. Major contributors in t he diet are fried and baked foods and margarine, in which partially hy drogenated vegetable oils may replace fat sources richer in saturated fatty acids and cholesterol. Consumption of trans fatty acids in the U nited States has been relatively constant, and new food technologies a re yielding decreases in the trans fatty acid content of commercially prepared foods. When intake of trans fatty acids (as hydrogenated fat) is compared with that of saturated fat, total and low-density-lipopro tein (LDL)-cholesterol concentrations in blood are lower, but both tra ns fats and saturated fats increase total and LDL concentrations when compared with cis fatty acids or native unhydrogenated fat. Epidemiolo gic data are conflicting with respect to cardiovascular disease outcom es. We cannot conclude that the intake of trans fatty acids is a risk factor for coronary heart disease nor can we expect that substituting trans- for cia-containing fats will reduce the risk of coronary heart disease. Few rigorous studies have dealt with biomedical effects of tr ans fatty acids and possible mechanisms relevant to human health and d iseases. The nutrition labeling issue is unresolved. The options, reco mmendations, and research suggestions in this report should outline fo r nutrition scientists the database needed before any new dietary reco mmendations or changes in nutrition policy concerning trans fatty acid s can be made. The debate about trans fatty acids should not detract f rom dietary recommendations to limit the intake of saturated fat and t otal fat.