Working in Europe for Everyone in Yorkshire and the Humber

23rd January 2007 - Demanding a ban on Trans Fats

Yorkshire and the Humber MEP Linda McAvan is spearheading a campaign to see trans-fatty acids - commonly known as trans fats - banned across Europe. Trans fats are increasingly being linked to serious health conditions, including infertility amongst women.

Trans fats are often used in biscuits, fried and snack foods and baked goods to help lengthen the shelf life of the product. However, the artificially manufactured fats have increasingly raised concerns after being linked to high levels of cholesterol and increasing the chances of heart disease.

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tfX, the campaign against trans fats in food in the UK, are supporting the declaration. Click here to find out more.

Within the last week, scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston Massachusetts published work claiming that the more trans fats a woman eats, the more likely she is to be infertile, and that even a small increase in trans fat intake can result in a woman being markedly more likely to become infertile.

Ms McAvan, who is Labour's Health spokesperson in the European Parliament, is to launch a Written Declaration which urges the European Commission and government ministers to "increase awareness of the dangers of trans fatty acids by introducing a mandatory labelling system" and further "to introduce the necessary measures to ensure a movement towards the elimination of trans fatty acids from food products".

Already, trans fats have been banned altogether in Denmark, and last month New York City banned restaurants from using them. At the same time, Tesco, Sainsbury and Marks and Spencer have announced plans to phase out the fats from their own brand products.

Linda McAvan said;

"Like many other people I only realised how serious the health problems caused by trans fats are quite recently, but they have been around since the 1950s. Many people, I imagine, don't even know that they are eating them. But the scientific evidence is now stacking up at a remarkable pace: trans fats pose a serious long-term health threat. The implications of eating these fats is not just that you'll put on weight, but that you are greatly increasing your risk of heart disease, and now it seems of becoming infertile. We don't need them, and we should ban them."

Click here for more about "The Food We Eat".