Cardiovascular Disease Prevention

Healthy Heart - Avoid Trans Fat

Health Care Provider Information

Trans fat consumption raises LDL cholesterol and is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease. Given the scientific consensus on the relationship between trans fat intake and heart disease, the federal Dietary Guidelines recommend that trans fat intake be kept as low as possible. If a product contains partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, it contains artificial trans fat.

Counsel your patients on how to avoid foods containing artificial trans fat - and choose heart-healthy alternatives. Download a sample nutrition facts panel that you can use to teach your patients how to avoid trans fat while shopping.

Dietary recommendations

• Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 - See Chapter 6 for clear key recommendations regarding trans fat
  
  
• American Heart Association. Goals and Metrics Committee of the Strategic Planning Task Force. Defining and Setting National Goals for Cardiovascular Health Promotion and Disease Reduction (PDF).
  The American Heart Association's Strategic Impact Goal Through 2020 and Beyond.

For your patients

• Health Bulletin #76: Good Fats/Bad Fats: How to know the difference (PDF)
  Other languages: [Español][中文]
  
  
• Health Bulletin #42: Control Your Cholesterol: Keep Your Heart Healthy (PDF)
  Other languages: [Español][中文]
  Order copies for your office by calling 311
  
  
• Teach your patients how to spot trans fat with this sample ingredient list and nutrition facts panel (PDF)

Medical literature

• Mozaffarian D. Katan MB. Ascherio A. Stampfer MJ. Willett WC. Trans Fatty Acids and Cardiovascular Disease (PDF).
  New England Journal of Medicine. April 13, 2006. 354;15:1601-13.
  
  
• Panel on Macronutrients, Institute of Medicine. Dietary reference intakes for energy, carbohydrate, fiber, fat, fatty acids, cholesterol, protein, and amino acids (PDF).
  Washington, DC 2005.