7,000 deaths a year could be prevented, experts say
According to an editorial in the British Medical Journal, 7,000 deaths a year could be prevented by reducing consumption of trans fats by just one per cent, the BBC reports. Trans fats, the solid fats found in margarines, cakes and fast foods, are already banned in some countries, but the Food Standards Agency said the low consumption in the UK makes a total ban unnecessary. Trans fats now make up one per cent of the average UK adult food energy intake, below the two per cent that’s called dangerous, but some groups consume more than that, putting themselves at risk. Trans fats are used to extend shelf life but have no nutritional value, raising blood cholesterol levels and increasing the risk of heart disease.