> Why Become a Member
> Become a Subscriber Member
> Become a Megabyte Member

> Fact Sheets
> Food Composition Tables
> FAQ's

> Food Facts
> Food Questions & Answers
> Patient Problems in Clinical Nutrition
> PhDs

> Subscribe to Journal
> Subscribe to Society
> Current Issues - Abstracts
       > Login to Full Papers
> Past Issues
> Nutrition Society of Australia
       > 1976 - 1979
       > 1980 - 1989
       > 1990 - 1999
       > 2000 - Current Date
> Editorial Board
> Author Instructions

> HEC Healthy Eating Pyramid
> HEC Food Variety Score
> HEC Physical Activity Score
> Other

> HEC Brochure (FREE)
> HEC Booklet (FREE)

> Modules on Offer
> How to use the Modules
> Enrol
> Login to Modules

> About WOLP
> Join WOLP
> Login to WOLP

> Store Home
> CD-Rom's
> Books
> PhD Dissertations
> Reports
> Videos
> Course Modules

> Subscribe
> Past Issues

How trans fats limit human potential

by Professor Mark L. Wahlqvist
Editor-in-chief of healthyeatingclub.com
Director, Asia Pacific Health & Nutrition Centre, Monash Asia Institute, Melbourne

Fat quality is an important issue for consumers and health care professionals. The recognition that trans fatty acids may behave like saturated fatty acids in relation to macrovascular disease, especially lipoprotein status as a risk factor, has encouraged a review of the place of polyunsaturated fats in the market place, especially when hydrogenated and solid. The removal of trans fatty acids in some margarines, once formed, and the structural re-arrangement of triglycerides in food, has not yet been fully evaluated for effects on human biology. Further work on trans fatty acids indicates that they may play a role in the development of type II diabetes and also in the impaired brain development. These observations encourage the re-formatting of Dietary Guidelines to recognize the value of a variety of unrefined fat sources, as well as low fat animal products.

To read more about trans fats click here

References:
Clandinin MT and Wilke MS. Do trans fatty acids increase the incidence of type 2 diabetes? (Editorial) Am J Clin Nutr 2001; 73:1001-2.

Elias SL and Innis SM. Infant plasma trans, n-6, and n-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acids are related to maternal plasma fatty acids, length of gestation, and birth weight and length. Am J Clin Nutr 2001; 73:807-14.

Hodgson JM, Boxall JA, Wahlqvist ML & Balazs ND. Platelet trans fatty acids in relation to angiographically assessed coronary artery disease. Atherosclerosis 1996; 120:147-154.

Hodgson JM, Wahlqvist ML, Boxall JA & Balazs NDH. Can linoleic acid contribute to coronary artery disease? American Journal Clinical Nutrition 58:228-234, 1993.

Kummerow FA, Zhou Q and Mahfouz MM. Effect of trans fatty acids on calcium influx into human arterial endothelial cells. Am J Clin Nutr 1999; 70:832-8.

Lundgren EM, Cnattingius S, Jonsson B and Tuvemo T. Intellectual and psychological performance in males born small for gestational age with and without catch-up growth. Pediatric Research 2001; 50(1):91-96.

Salmeron J, Hu FB, Manson JE, Stampfer MJ, Colditz GA, Rimm EB and Willett WC. Dietary fat intake and risk of type 2 diabetes in women. Am J Clin Nutr 2001; 73:1019-26.

Last Updated: September, 2002.