Saturday Nov 9, 2013 (foodconsumer.org) -- A study recently released in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition again confirms that eating artery-clogging trans fat increases all-cause death risk.

James N Kiage from Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, TN and colleagues conducted the study and found the risk of dying from all causes was doubled in those with the highest intake of trans fat, compared with those with the lowest intake.   

The current study was intended to examine the association between trans fat use and all-cause mortality and based on data from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study.  During a 7-year follow-up, 1572 out of 18,513 participants died.

The mortality rates per 1000 person-year during the follow-up was 23.6 among those who were in the highest quintile of trans fat intake, compared with 12.8  among those in the lowest quintile.

After adjustment for education, demographic factors and risk factors for mortality, those who ate the highest amount of trans fat were found at 24 % increased risk of all-cause death, compared with those who ate the lowest amount.   Trans fat consumption was found responsible for 7% of the deaths in the general population. 

It has been known that trans fat can cause deaths from cardiovascular disease.  It is estimated that trans fat is implicated in 100,000 deaths from heart disease each year in the United States, according to Harvard University epidemiologists and nutritionists. 

This week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration decided to ban use of trans fat in processed foods because it is overwhelmingly evident that eating trans fat can increase the death risk.  California and New York have already limited use of trans fat in restaurants.

Trans fat, also known as partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, is commonly used in restaurants and processed foods.  

Trans fat can not only increase low density lipoprotein cholesterol (bad cholesterol), but also lower the high density lipoprotein cholesterol (good cholesterol). Trans fat is also associated with  inflammation, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cancer and mortality from cardiovascular disease and events.  Trans fat can also cause damage to the liver.

A recent study has already identified trans fat as a risk factor for mortality in breast cancer patients.  The study published on annualreviews.org website revealed that those with the highest intake of trans fat were 45 to 78% more likely to die from all causes and breast cancer, compared with those having the lowest intake.  

Trans fat can also increase the risk of death from all causes in patients with lethal prostate cancer, according to another study published this year in JAMA. (David Liu, PHD)