I just updated the Trans Fats section of The Fatty Acids page on VeganHealth.org. It’s nothing earth-shattering, but reflects the results of a review of the evidence regarding trans fats and heart disease. Here is the update:

A 2008 review of trans fats and cardiovascular health found:

* Five meta-analyses of controlled dietary interventions have examined the relationship between trans fatty acids intake and blood lipid levels and consistently report a worsening of blood lipid profiles with increasing trans fatty acid intakes, with a dose-response relationship evident.

* Four cohort studies report on the association between trans fatty acid intake and incidence of cardiovascular disease. They consistently found that larger amounts of trans fats (about 4 to 6 grams per day) increased heart disease rates by about 25% in comparison with the lowest amounts (about 1 to 2 grams per day).

* Vegetable based trans fats were found to be more harmful than animal-based (those found naturally in ruminent animal products).

Citation:
Booker CS, Mann JI. Trans fatty acids and cardiovascular health: translation of the evidence base. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2008 Jul;18(6):448-56. Epub 2008 May 12.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, February 25th, 2009 at 3:45 pm and is filed under Trans Fats. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.