Dietary Intakes of Trans Fatty Acids in the Canadian Population Before the Prohibition of Partially Hydrogenated Oils

Abstract

Background: In September 2018, the prohibition of partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) came into effect in Canada to reduce industrially produced trans fats (TFA) in the food supply to the lowest level possible. Canada’s public health objective is that ≥90% of the population consume <1% of total energy (1%En) as TFA (WHO recommendation). Objective: Estimate the intakes of TFA by Canadians before the PHO prohibition. Methods: Data from 19,670 participants of the cross-sectional Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)–Nutrition 2015 was analyzed. Foods were classified based on the source of TFA (industrially produced only (i-TFA), naturally occurring only (n-TFA), or a mix of both). Food content in TFA originated from 2016 label information and the 2015 Canadian Nutrient File. Mean usual intakes of total TFA and TFA from different sources were estimated for Canadians aged 1-75y. Results: For the overall population, the mean intake of total TFA represented 0.57%En (SE:0.001), with the 95 percentile at 0.93%En (SE:0.005). All age-sex groups had mean TFA intakes <1%E, ranging from 0.52 to 0.71%En. On average, foods containing only n-TFA provided >1/2 of total TFA intake (0.32%En, SE:0.005). Foods containing only i-TFA provided <1/3 of total TFA intake (0.19%En, SE:0.005). The target of ≥90% of the population consuming <1%En as TFA had already been achieved before the PHO prohibition in all age-sex groups, except children 1-3 years old, with 86% within target. In that group, foods containing only n-TFA provided >2/3 of total TFA intake (0.48%En, SE:0.02).Conclusions: Total TFA intakes in Canada before the PHO prohibition were relatively low, likely due to previous initiatives to reduce industrially produced TFA in foods, starting with labelling of the amount of TFA on most pre-packaged foods, which became mandatory in 2007. These analyses will be repeated using post-PHO prohibition data to continue monitoring progress after the prohibition.