Public Health May be Improved by Banning the Use of Trans Fat in Food Items

A new study suggests that imposing a ban on including trans fat in foods available in various food outlets may be an effective way in reducing the risk of heart disease thereby improving public health. Trans fat is widely used in food products as it has longer shelf time, can be reheated many times and is easily affordable. However, trans fats are responsible for fat deposition in the blood vessels leading to heart diseases. Shauna Downs, lead author, and team from the University of Sydney studied the health policies of various countries and found that many countries like Denmark were successful in eliminating trans fat from food supplies. Even local bans USA and Canada were found successful in removing trans fat from fried food items.

Some countries had voluntary self-regulating policies while some had mandatory regulations and both the policies were found to be effective. The findings reveal that such policies are not only feasible but highly efficient in improving public health.

The WHO has called for elimination of trans fats from the global food supply has identified it as a "best-buy" public health intervention for low- and middle-income countries to prevent non-communicable diseases.

They study is published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization.

Source-Medindia