The Daily Mail, in not one but two rather sensational articles, calls for a ban on artificial trans fats in food. But to put the dangers of trans fats into perspective, as a nation we consume less than half the recommended maximum average intake in the UK (advised by the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN)), so they’re not a cause for concern for the population as a whole.
The danger with this kind of alarmist reporting on one small part of the diet is that it could result in attention, and resources, being diverted from more important issues. What we shouldn’t forget is that the evidence clearly shows we’re eating far more saturated fat, which has a much greater impact on public health and is the cause of more premature deaths than trans fats.
The UK food industry has already voluntarily removed partially hydrogenated vegetable oils from lots of their products, which is the main source of artificial trans fats. So while we’re encouraging food businesses to maintain the reduction of artificial trans fats in food and to look for ways of reducing saturated fat, our focus should be on the bigger picture and helping to save more lives by getting people eating a healthier diet – lower in saturated fat and salt and with more fruit and vegetables.
Maybe we should be thinking of adding sensationalist journalism to the list of public health issues that need to be tackled!