Canadians change diet to eliminate trans fats

[Isabeau]

Sixty-two per cent of Canadians change diet to eliminate trans fats: poll

Lia Levesque
Canadian Press

October 4, 2005

MONTREAL (CP) - Canadians were taking trans fats seriously and 62 per cent of respondents in a new poll have made changes to their diet and food purchases to help eliminate these harmful fats.

The Leger Marketing survey, conducted Sept. 6-11, also found that 53 per cent of respondents were willing to stop eating their favourite trans-fat treat.

For most people, processed foods are the main source of trans fats, which appear to increase the risk of heart disease. These fats both raise bad cholesterol in the blood and lower good cholesterol.

Trans fats, which are formed when liquid oils are made into semi-solid fats like shortening and hard margarine, are used in processed foods such as chips and cookies to improve taste and increase shelf life.

The survey, provided to The Canadian Press, also found that almost 80 per cent of respondents had heard of trans fats. But trans fats were more a concern for women than men.

Fifty-nine per cent of women who were surveyed believed trans fats should be a major concern versus 43 per cent of men.

The poll of 1,500 respondents is considered accurate with 2.6 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.

When it came to having changed their diets and food purchases, 71 per cent of respondents were professionals, 72 per cent had a university education and 70 per cent had an annual household revenue of $80,000 and more.

By comparison, 55 per cent of those with high school education, 52 per cent of those who make less than $20,000 and 42 per cent of manual labourers indicated in the survey they changed their diets and food purchases.

Genevieve Reed of the Quebec-based consumer magazine Option consommateurs said much works remains to educate the public about trans fats.

"It has to be information that's easy to understand," Reed said in an interview.

Reed also noted that those who make less money need to have more choices and access to foods without trans fats.

By mid-December, Health Canada will require labels of most pre-packaged foods to list trans fats.

Nationally, the poll indicated that 83 per cent of both Quebecers and British Columbians surveyed knew the most about trans fats.

The survey found that Albertans knew the least with 74 per cent of those polled aware of trans fats.

Last year by a unanimous vote in Parliament, Canada became the second country in the world - after Denmark - to declare war on trans fats.
© The Canadian Press 2005

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