Effect of Dietary Trans Fatty Acids on Cholesterol Levels

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Abstract
I urge that the conclusions of the short-term study of Mensink and Katan (Aug. 16 issue)1 suggesting that the effect of trans fatty acids on serum lipid profiles is similar to that of cholesterol-raising saturated fatty acids be interpreted with caution. In 1985 a special committee of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB) comprehensively reviewed the health effects of dietary trans fatty acids. Their report concluded that "the trans fatty acids as consumed in hydrogenated vegetable oil appear to be the equivalent of oleic acid in their cholesterolemic properties in humans."2 Although Mensink and Katan cited this report, they failed to note that the overall conclusions differed completely from theirs.