Dietitians of Canada

Trans fats

Background

Studies show that industrially produced trans fat can increase the risk of heart disease. Trans fat is known to raise ‘bad’ cholesterol and lower ‘good’ cholesterol levels. Intake of trans fat should be reduced as low as possible.

Position

Dietitians of Canada supports efforts to help Canadians reduce their intake of total fat and industrially produced trans fat. We support removing trans fats from processed foods and those served in restaurants. Most trans fat comes from partially hydrogenated oils. These oils are found in a wide variety of products:

• vegetable oil shortening
• “stick” [hard] margarine
• commercially prepared baked goods
• snack foods - potato and corn chips
• crackers
• microwave popcorn
  

Actions

• Members of DC were part of the Trans Fat Task Force. This group was formed in 2004. Its goal was to reduce industrially produced trans fat in Canadian foods. The group recommended that Canada's food industry:
  • Limit trans fat of vegetable oils and soft, spreadable margarines to 2 percent
  • Limit the trans fat for all other foods to 5 percent
  The food industry was given two years to make changes. In December 2009, Health Canada released data on the food industry’s response to the trans fat guidelines. The data show that the trans fat rules are helping the food industry change their products but there is still further progress that needs to be made.