Banning the addition of artificial trans fats to food in 2003 is thought to have saved 1200 lives in Denmark between 1991 and 2007
In some parts of the world, artificial trans fats are added to products like pastries to extend their shelf life at a low cost, but they have been linked to heart disease
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Denmark’s world-leading ban on artificial trans fats in food has considerably reduced the number of people dying from heart disease, particularly in disadvantaged groups.
“It’s an excellent lesson showing that when governments put high standards in place around food, it can have a really important population health impact,” says Gary Sacks at Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. …