• Trans-Fats linked to Breast Cancer

By: News-Medical.Net Published: Monday, 14-Apr-2008

Trans fats(hydrogenated oil) are currently being phased out of food in many countries because they clog arteries and increase the risk of heart disease.

Trans-fatty acids or trans-fats are produced by creating artificially hardened fats as in partial hydrogenation processes. They are widely used in processed foods to give food texture, added flavour and a long shelf life.

Scientists at the national scientific research center at the University of Paris in France, discovered the link between trans-fats and breast cancer after carrying out a study of women taking part in a large European cancer trial.

The team found that women with the highest blood levels of trans-fats had about twice the risk of breast cancer compared to women with the lowest levels.

They discovered that the higher the levels of trans-fatty acids, the more likely a woman was to have cancer; these women were in fact twice as likely to develop breast cancer than those with the lowest levels.

Dr. Veronique Chajes says at this stage, they can only recommend limiting the consumption of processed foods, which is the main source of industrially produced trans-fatty acid…read more

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• Cyndi O’Meara, the Al Gore of Foods – interview about trans fats

Cyndi O’Meara, Nutritionist, author and international presenter, speaks with David and Kim on Channel 10’s 9AM about trans fats, the hydrogenation of oil, what foods they are in, how dangerous they are for health and how to avoid them. A very educational 10 minutes that could save your life and your health. Cyndi O’Meara is the Al Gore of Foods!

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• Higher Trans Fat Levels in Blood Associated With Elevated Risk of Heart Disease

Boston, MA — High consumption of trans fat, found mainly in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils and widely used by the food industry, has been linked to an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). New York and Philadelphia have passed measures eliminating its use in restaurants, and other cities are considering similar bans.

A new study from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) provides the strongest association to date between trans fat and heart disease. It found that women in the U.S. with the highest levels of trans fat in their blood had three times the risk of CHD as those with the lowest levels. The study was published online on March 26, 2007, and will appear in the April 10, 2007 print issue of Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

“The strength of this study is that the amount of trans fatty acid levels was measured in blood samples from the study population. Because humans cannot synthesize trans fatty acids, the amount of trans fat in red blood cells is an excellent biomarker of trans fat intake,” said senior author Frank Hu, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at HSPH.

Clinical trials have shown that trans fatty acids increase LDL cholesterol and lower HDL cholesterol, making them the only class of fatty acids, which includes saturated fat, to have this dual effect. HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is considered a “good” cholesterol; LDL (low-density lipoprotein) a “bad” cholesterol…more details

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