One government agency - the Office of Management and Budget - has urged another - the Health and Human Services Department - to speed up regulations to require the listing of trans fatty acid content on food labels.

Such a move may help reduce the number of deaths from coronary heart disease, its backers say. They cited an FDA study that estimated the labeling change would prevent up to 17,000 heart attacks and 5,600 deaths per year within 10 years after the rule became effective.

How would a labeling change reduce the intake of trans fats? An AHA study found that consumers would demand lower trans fat foods when they saw the labeling. Industry would thus be forced to develop other foods with less of the harmful fats.

Trans fats are produced when liquid oils are solidified, which is done to increase the shelf life of processed foods containing these oils. Trans fats are found in vegetable shortening, some margarines, crackers, cookies, and other snack foods.

Next week, we’ll look at ways to reduce your intake of trans fats.

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