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People with higher levels of trans fats in their blood may be 50% to 75% more likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease or dementia from any cause, according to a new study published Wednesday in the journal Neurology.
“This study demonstrates that there are negative ‘brain/cognitive’ outcomes, in addition to the known cardiovascular outcomes, that are related to a diet that has (a) high content of trans fats,” said neurologist Dr. Neelum T. Aggarwal, who was not involved in the study. Aggarwal, a member of the American Academy of Neurology, is co-leader of the Rush Alzheimer’s Disease Center in Chicago.
A significant study
Over 1,600 Japanese men and women without dementia were followed over a 10-year period. A blood test for trans fat levels was done at the start of the study and their diets were analyzed.
Researchers then adjusted for other factors that could affect the risk of dementia, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking. They found that people with the two highest levels of trans fats were 52% and 74% more likely to develop dementia than those with the lowest levels.
“The study used blood marker levels of trans fats, rather than more traditionally used dietary questionnaires, which increases the scientific validity of the results,” said neurologist Dr. Richard Isaacson, director of the Alzheimer’s Prevention Clinic at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York.
“This study is important as it builds upon prior evidence that dietary intake of trans fats can increase risk of Alzheimer’s dementia,” said Isaacson, who was also not involved in the study.
What are trans fats
Trans fats can occur naturally in small amounts in certain meat and dairy foods, but by far the greatest exposure comes from the man-made version.
You can cut your risk of dying by more than a fourth just by replacing bad fats with good. That's the takeaway from a new study from Harvard that analyzed the eating habits of more than 126,000 men and women over a 32-year period. And some fats were better than others from protecting against specific diseases.
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The study found that if people replaced a mere 5% of their calorie intake from "bad" fats with polyunsaturated fats, they could reduce their risk of death by 27%. Polyunsaturated fats contain essential fats your body can't produce by itself, such as omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. You must get these essential fats through the food you eat. One of the best sources is nuts: Small servings of 10 to 15 nuts can go a long way toward good health.
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One polyunsaturated fat, an omega-6 fatty acid called linoleic acid, was shown in the Harvard study to be especially protective against death by cancer and coronary artery disease. Walnuts are one of the best sources of linoleic acid; eating just seven shelled walnuts provides about 11 grams of the good stuff.
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Other good natural sources of linoleic acid include sunflower, safflower, soybean, corn and canola oils as well as nuts and seeds.
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Another key polyunsaturated fat, the omega-3 fatty acid called alpha-linolenic, was protective against death due to neurodegenerative disease in the Harvard study. Alpha-linolenic acid is found in vegetable oils, such as flaxseed, canola and soybean oils, as well as walnuts.
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Salmon, albacore tuna, mackerel, herring, lake trout and sardines are all "fatty fish" high in omega-3 fatty acids. The American Heart Association recommends at least two servings a week. Each serving is 3.5 ounces cooked, or about ? cup of flaked fish.
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Don't forget your green leafy vegetables. They're also good sources of alpha-linoleic acid and are often protective against cancer.
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The study also found that risk of mortality dropped by 13% if people replaced a mere 5% of their calorie intake from bad fats with monounsaturated fats. These fats are typically liquid at room temperature but when chilled begin to turn solid. The most famous example of a monounsaturated fat is olive oil, a key player in the Mediterranean diet, often touted as one of the healthiest in the world.
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Avocados are a super source of monounsaturated fat, as are many nuts and seeds. Monounsaturated fat can lower bad cholesterol levels and contribute vitamin E, which many Americans are missing.
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Peanut butter fans, rejoice! Peanuts are a great source of monounsaturated fat, but watch out for sugar! Try to stick to natural versions, and watch your portions. Like all nuts, peanuts are high in calories.
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So what fats should you be avoiding? You guessed it: saturated and trans fats. Well-marbled red meat, although tasty, isn't a great regular menu item because of its high levels of saturated fat.
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Saturated fat is also found in in animal-sourced foods like butter, lard, cheese and ice cream. You'll want to reduce these in your diet; use only in moderation.
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Trans fats are the most evil of the bad fats. The Food and Drug Administration banned trans fats from products in 2013, but they can still be found in many foods like crackers, cookies, doughnuts, muffins, pies and cakes, often in trace amounts that quickly add up. Research from the Harvard School of Public Health has showed that the risk of heart disease rises by 23% for every 2% of calories obtained from trans fats. Ban these from your diet.
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Fats that can reduce your risk of dying
Also called trans fatty acids, artificial trans fats are created by an industrialized process that adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid (think of semi-soft margarine and shortening).
The food industry loves trans fats because they are cheap to produce, last a long time and give foods a great taste and texture.
Besides fried foods, trans fats are found in coffee creamer, cakes, pie crusts, frozen pizza, cookies, crackers, biscuits and dozens of other processed foods.
In the Japanese study, researchers found sweet pastries were the strongest contributor to higher trans fats levels. Margarine was next, followed by candies, caramels, croissants, non-dairy creamers, ice cream and rice crackers.
US regulatory action
After extensive research revealed the connection between trans fats and the increase of bad cholesterol (LDL), combined with a reduction of good cholesterol (HDL), the US Food and Drug Administration banned trans fats in 2015.
Companies were given three years to stop using them; then the FDA began granting extensions to various parts of the industry. The latest extension runs out January 1.
But even if every manufacturer complies by the first of the year, that doesn’t mean trans fats are gone from the grocery shelves. According to the FDA, if one serving of the food contains less than 0.5 grams, companies can label the food as “0 grams” of trans fats.
Even in small doses, artificial trans fats will still be around to contribute to cardiovascular disease, diabetes and other conditions, such as dementia.
“In the United States, the small amounts still allowed in foods can really add up if people eat multiple servings of these foods, and trans fats are still allowed in many other countries,” said study author Dr. Toshiharu?Ninomiya, a professor at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, in a statement.
“People at risk still need to pay careful attention to nutrition labels,” Isaacson said. “When it comes to nutrition labels, the fewer ingredients, the better! Focus on natural whole food, and minimize or avoid those that are highly processed.”
Aggarwal added: “This message must be delivered in countries where the ban of trans fats has not been enacted or difficult to enforce.”