HEALTH UPDATES

Trans Fats: A New Focus for Americans

New Nutrition Facts panel labeling requirements should help consumers make better heart healthy food choices

Just as the national obsession over the “low-carb” diet recommended by Dr. Atkins, et al, has started to wane, consumers are being asked to divert their attention to a new health issue – trans fats. That’s because effective January 1, 2006, all manufacturers of packaged foods are required to list on the Nutrition Facts panel, not only the amount of fat and saturated fat, but also the amount of trans fats in their products. This information is timely, given that coronary heart disease (CHD) is the #1 killer for both men and women in the U.S.

To justify this new labeling requirement, the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) relied on multiple sources including: scientific reports, expert panels and studies from the Institute of Medicine/National Academies of Science (IOM/NAS), the National Cholesterol Education Program, the Department of Health & Human Services and the USDA (Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2000). The evidence convincingly showed that consumption of trans fats contributes to elevated cholesterol levels which are an independent risk factor for heart disease.

Trans fats are the byproduct of a widely used process in the packaged food industry called partial-hydrogenation. To extend product shelf-life and improve mouth appeal, manufacturers alter generally health-promoting fats like canola oil by adding hydrogen and other compounds – a chemical process known as hydrogenation. Partially-hydrogenated fats are commonly found in baked goods, snack foods, commercially fried foods and stick margarines.

While a hydrogenated fat has molecular properties similar to a saturated fat, it is, in fact, much more detrimental to human health. That’s because saturated fats tend to raise low-density lipoprotein (LDL) the so-called “bad” cholesterol levels, whereas trans fats not only raise LDL levels but also lower high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or “good” cholesterol levels. Consequently, trans fats pack a double whammy in terms of their effect on cardiovascular health.

Based on the negative health effects of consuming these man-made foods, elimination of trans fats from the food supply makes sense. However, with the new labeling, people may be consuming trans fats without their knowledge. Some products that are listed as having zero trans fats may still contain small amounts. This is because the FDA allows products with less than 0.5 grams of trans fats per serving to be labeled as trans fat free.
What about nutrient content claims for trans fat? Nutrient content claims are statements that are made on the food label package that indicate that the product contains a range from low to high of the amount of a specific nutrient. Examples: “Low Fat” and “high in Fiber.” At this time, the FDA has insufficient scientific information to establish nutrient content claims for trans fat. The best way to identify hidden trans fats is to check the ingredient list for “partial-hydrogenation” or “hydrogenated” indicating the presence of some trans fats.

However, products that are trans fat free are not necessarily better. Many manufacturers have replaced the trans fat content of their products with unhealthy saturated fats such as palm oil or palm fruit oil. Finally, restaurants (including fast food) are not subject to the same labeling requirements. With so many Americans eating meals out these days, this is an important consideration.

Unlike ordinary fats, the revised Nutrition Facts panel will not include a % Daily Value (% DV) for trans fat. This is partly due to lack of agreement on how much or how little should trans fat can be consumed without negative health consequences. But, the position of the Institute of Medicine is to keep daily trans fat consumption “as low as possible”. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines recommend a transfat intake of less than 1% of calories – or 2 grams in an 1,800 calorie diet – an amount normally obtained by eating foods such as meat and dairy products. The American Heart Association and the Food and Drug Administration group trans fat consumption with saturated fat intake, limiting it to less than 10% of calories. On an 1,800 calorie diet this equates to 20 grams of combined saturated and transfat consumption per day.

The new labeling requirements go a long way to help educate patients about the downside of eating packaged, processed foods. However, getting patients to change their habits is an ongoing challenge. And, for many, they are more likely to take a well-advertised statin drug like Lipitor® or Crestor® to treat their elevated cholesterol than make the hard diet and lifestyle decisions that account for much of the problem.

Sources:
American Heart Association

Food & Drug Administration (FDA), Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN)