Susan T Borra

Understanding the Complexity of Trans Fatty Acid Reduction in the American Diet American Heart Association Trans Fat Conference 2006: Report of the Trans Fat Conference Planning Group

A 2-day forum was convened to discuss the current status and future implications of reducing trans fatty acids without increasing saturated fats in the food supply while maintaining functionality and consumer acceptance of packaged, processed, and prepared foods. Attendees represented the agriculture and oilseed industry and oil processing, food manufacturing, food service, government, food technology, and health and nutrition disciplines. Presentations included food science behind fatty acid technology, the health science of dietary fatty acids, alternatives to trans fatty acids, and the use of alternatives in food manufacturing and food service. The reduction of trans fatty acids in the food supply is a complex issue involving interdependent and interrelated stakeholders. Actions to reduce trans fatty acids need to carefully consider both intended and unintended consequences related to nutrition and public health. The unintended consequence of greatest concern is that fats and oils high in saturated fats, instead of the healthier unsaturated fats, might be used to replace fats and oils with trans fatty acids. Many different options of alternative oils and fats to replace trans fatty acids are available or in development. Decisions on the use of these alternatives need to consider availability, health effects, research and development investments, reformulated food quality and taste, supply-chain management, operational modifications, consumer acceptance, and cost. The conference demonstrated the value of collaboration between the food industry and health and nutrition professionals, and this conference model should be used to address other food development, processing, and/or technology issues.

What do Consumers Really Think About Dietary Fat

Nutrition communications in recent years have placed a priority on reducing dietary fat. Survey findings suggest this priority has fostered consumer obsession with and confusion about dietary fat and contributed to misperceptions about healthful eating. The obsession, confusion, and misperceptions about dietary fat and healthful eating, in turn, have created obstacles to achieving dietary goals. This overview of consumer knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors regarding dietary fat may allow dietetics and other professionals to tailor nutrition communication efforts toward clearing the confusion and better fostering success in reaching dietary goals. Nutrition communicators are encouraged to work together to restore reason to nutrition messages and recommendations and joy to food and eating in an effort to help consumers truly achieve nutrition and health goals.

Paucity of Nutrition and Food Safety ‘News You Can Use’ Reveals Opportunity for Dietetics Practitioners

The media is consistently ranked by the public as their primary source of nutrition and food information. To address the question of what the public is hearing about food, nutrition, and health through the news media, the International Food Information Council Foundation commissioned the Center for Media and Public Affairs to conduct a content analysis of nutrition and food safety stories. The study examined media coverage from 53 print and electronic news outlets during a 3-month period from May through July 1995. Specific criteria were applied to select the sample of food and nutrition stories (n = 979) by length of coverage during the reporting period. Coverage related to food policy or regulation, food programs, individual food companies or products, advertising or marketing, and economic adulteration or tampering were excluded from the sample. The analysis of media coverage of food and nutrition topics revealed a twofold emphasis on dietary fat over other topics. Consumption of dietary fat was mentioned in almost half of all reports, apart from discussions of body fat, weight, or obesity as a health issue. The content analysis also showed an inverse relationship between media stories of foods by food group compared with the recommended number of servings in the Food Guide Pyramid. During an era in which Americans receive their health, nutrition, and food messages from the media rather than from health professionals such as physicians and dietitians, there are multiple challenges for communicating with the public. Our media research and its findings offer approaches for dietetics practitioners to use when providing nutrition and food recommendations and education for clients and the public. These include communicating science, providing context, reinforcing basic messages and guidelines, and promoting action and behavior change to clients and consumers.