Trans-fats Should Be Banned From All Foods, Say UK Medics

The UK Faculty of Public Health and a report in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) have called for a ban on trans-fats in a bid to save lives.

Trans-fats, which are solid fats found in cakes, margarines and fast food, are already banned in some countries.

The BMJ report claimed 7,000 deaths and 11,000 heart attacks each year in the UK could be avoided by a reduction of just 1 per cent.

Harvard Medical School doctors backed the claims adding that bans in Denmark and New York City had eliminated the harmful fats without compromising taste or affordability.

In January the UK Faculty of Public Health similarly called for trans-fats to be virtually eliminated.

They stated that 1 per cent of adult food energy intake is made up of trans-fats. Although this is half the considered dangerous level, they believe there are sections of the population where consumption exceeds a safe intake.

President of the organisation, Professor Alan Maryon-Davis, told the BBC: “There are great differences in the amount of trans-fats consumed by different people and we are particularly concerned about young people and those with little disposable income who eat a lot of this type of food.

“This is a major health inequalities issue.”

Trans-fats increase product shelf life but have no nutritional value and have been found to increase cholesterol levels.

But the UK Food Standards Agency believes a ban is unnecessary and that average consumption in the UK was ‘not a concern’.

They added that trans-fat consumption was still less than the US and that voluntary action by food manufacturers had been successful.