Abstract
ABSTRACTTrans fatty acids (TFA) increase the risk of mortality and chronic diseases. TFA intakes have fallen since reformulation, but may still be high in certain, vulnerable, groups. This paper investigates socio-economic and food consumption characteristics of high TFA consumers after voluntary reformulation in the Netherlands and UK. Post-reformulation data of adults aged 19–64 was analysed in two national surveys: the Dutch National Food Consumption Survey (DNFCS) collected 2007–2010 using 2*24hr recalls (N = 1933) and the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) years 3&4 collected 2010/11 and 2011/12 using 4-day food diaries (N = 848). The socio-economic and food consumption characteristics of the top 10% and remaining 90% TFA consumers were compared. Means of continuous data were compared using t-tests and categorical data means using chi-squared tests. Multivariate logistic regression models indicated which socio-demographic variables were associated with high TFA consumption. In the Dutch analyses, women and those born outside the Netherlands were more likely to be top 10% TFA consumers than men and Dutch-born. In the UK unadjusted analyses there was no significant trend in socio-economic characteristics between high and lower TFA consumers, but there were regional differences in the multivariate logistic regression analyses. In the Netherlands, high TFA consumers were more likely to be consumers of cakes, buns & pastries; cream; and fried potato than the remaining 90%. Whereas in the UK, high TFA consumers were more likely to be consumers of lamb; cheese; and dairy desserts and lower crisps and savoury snack consumers. Some socio-demographic differences between high and lower TFA consumers were evident post-reformulation. High TFA consumers in the Dutch 2007–10 survey appeared more likely to obtain TFA from artificial sources than those in the UK survey. Further analyses using more up-to-date food composition databases may be needed.
Highlights
Trans fatty acids (TFAs) are linked to all-cause mortality and various chronic diseases, most notably coronary heart disease (CHD) [1]
In the UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) Rolling Programme (RP) 2.5% of adults consumed more than the current World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended limits on TFAs (1.9% males; 3.0% females) over the four survey days
Consumers above the WHO recommended limits in the Netherlands had 1.3% (95%CI: 1.3, 1.4) of total energy intake from TFAs. This was similar to the UK, where 1.2% (95%CI: 1.1, 1.4) of total energy intake came from TFAs
Summary
Trans fatty acids (TFAs) are linked to all-cause mortality and various chronic diseases, most notably coronary heart disease (CHD) [1]. CHD causes around 10,200 deaths in the Netherlands [2] and approximately 73,000 deaths in the UK annually, making it the largest cause of mortality [3]. For every 2% total energy gained from TFAs there is a corresponding 23% increase in CHD incidence [4]. Industrial trans fatty acids (iTFA) are artificially produced in processed foods by hydrogenating vegetable or fish oils [5] and are associated with CHD mortality and total CHD [1]. Spreads, packaged snack foods and deep-fried fast foods have been identified as major sources of iTFA [6].
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