Trans fats became popular in the late 1960s when they were believed to provide a healthier alternative to saturated fats. Today it is not clear which type of fat is more harmful.
A study released in the July issue of Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology suggests that trans fatty acids increase the risk of heart disease more than saturated fats.
In the study, researchers from the Netherlands discovered that a diet liberal in trans fat reduced blood vessel function by 29 percent and lowered HDL, the "good" cholesterol, by about one-fifth, compared with a diet including the same proportion of saturated fat.
The researchers suggested that companies manufacturing foods such as doughnuts, chips and cookies should report on the label just how much trans fat is found in their product. At this time, the consumer cannot know how much trans fat foods contain.
A public health group recently petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to put trans fat information on labels. Michael Jacobson, executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said based on FDA figures the inclusion of trans fat information on food labels could help prevent 2,100 to 5,600 deaths from heart disease annually.
Kathleen Koehler, an FDA epidemiologist, pointed out in June 2000 that removing all trans fat from margarine and just 3 percent from baked items could prevent more than 17,000 heart attacks and more than 5,000 deaths per year. She also estimated a monetary benefit of $2.9 billion to $7.9 billion each year from prevented heart attacks if trans fat were less prevalent in foods.
What can consumers do until trans fat information is included on labels?
The American Heart Assn. recommends using oils such as canola or olive and low-fat tub margarine instead of butter or stick margarine.
Is it important for children to have a diet high in fat?
Fat is particularly important for young children. Human breast milk, which the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends as infants' sole food for the first four to six months of life, is approximately 50 percent fat.
Because of the rapid growth during the first two years of life, it is recommended that fat intake not be restricted during this period. Breast milk or formula should be offered the first year and whole milk, which also has a high fat content, is recommended for the second year of life.
Feeding low-fat foods to a young child may result in less than adequate growth. After age 2, a child may be offered lower-fat foods such as 2 percent milk, gradually moving toward the low-fat recommendations found in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans to help achieve good health for a lifetime.
For a young child, fat is essential for other reasons. It offers protection during the inevitable falls that occur while learning to walk, insulates from extremes in outside temperatures and provides a concentrated form of energy for rapid growth. It is necessary for making cholesterol, which is essential for brain development.
Fat also plays a vital role in the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins including:
vitamin A promotes healthy tissue growth and helps prevent infections.
vitamin D fosters stronger bones and teeth by helping deposit calcium and phosphorus.
vitamin E contributes to healthy nervous and cardiovascular systems.
vitamin K promotes proper blood clotting and strong bones.
One important thing fat provides is taste. Children will eat something only if it tastes good. A young child's stomach is small, and his energy needs are high. Fat in the diet offers staying power under these conditions.
Parents and caregivers can see that a child gets enough fat, but not too much, by providing meals and snacks with a balance of low, moderate and high-fat foods. The next step is to allow the child to naturally adapt his fat intake to his hunger and appetite. A child loses the natural ability to follow internal cues when adults decide how much he should eat.
Parents who are overconscious about their fat intake can inadvertently pass that habit on to their child. These children may tend to overeat when they are given free access to forbidden high fat foods such as cookies or cakes, setting the stage for future weight issues.
It's best to occasionally incorporate high-fat foods into the family menu. Allow a child to eat as much as he wants during structured meal times; do not single out any food as a "bad" or special food. By enjoying a variety of foods at mealtime some of which may be high in fat children develop appropriate lifelong eating patterns.
Susan Krumm is an Extension agent in family and consumer sciences with K-State Research and Extension-Douglas County, 2110 Harper St. She can be reached at 843-7058.
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