One of the newest additions to the united front against trans fat is the Indiana State Fair, according to the New York Times. This year the Great Indiana State Fair will deep-fry its Oreos, Snickers, Ho Hos, and Reese’s in trans-fat free oil -- what a relief. Now people can overindulge in these foods without packing on extra pounds, right? Not exactly.
Trans fat bans are all the rage and lead many to believe that they are following a healthier lifestyle while indulging in foods like French fries, as long as they are not fried in trans-fat-containing oils. This is not the case. Trans-fat-free oils pack the same number of calories as traditional oils, nine calories per gram. This ban, which originated as an attempt to reduce heart disease, distracts from much more important factors, such as smoking and obesity (see "Trans Fat: Anatomy of A Scare").
Supporters of banning trans fat argue that it is responsible for high cholesterol levels, which lead to heart disease. The truth is that the even the strictest low-fat diets usually result in a relatively small cholesterol reduction. For individuals with unhealthy cholesterol readings, the saturated fat in their diets -- not the trans fat -- is a big reason for concern. Saturated fats represent more than 10% of average caloric intake, as opposed to the 3% that trans fats represents.
It is good news that the Indiana State Fair is trying to keep the public's health in mind. However, if the organizers really want to help out with the battle of the bulge (see "It’s the Food, Stupid"), it would be more useful to start promoting smaller serving sizes or to stop promoting and providing deep-fried foods than to jump on the anti-trans fat bandwagon.
Krystal Wilson is a research intern at the American Council on Science and Health (ACSH.org, HealthFactsAndFears.com).
See also: ACSH's full report on Trans Fatty Acids and Heart Disease.
