A recent study has found a link between consumption of trans fats and aggressive behavior.

As if the already known health risks were not bad enough this finding is just one more reason to limit trans fats in the diet.

There is already substantial data from many other studies that high trans-fat consumption leads to a variety of poorer health outcomes, including heart disease and certain cancers.

The mean age of the participants was 57 years (range, 45 – 69 years), 68% were male, and 80% were white. The mean trans-fat consumption per day was 3.49 grams (range, 1.02 – 5.96 g/day).

The researchers collected nutrient data using a food frequency questionnaire; they collected information on behavioral acts of aggression toward self, others, and objects, with a variety of validated instruments, including the following:

Overt Aggression Scale Modified – Aggression subscale (OASMa)
Life History of Aggression (LHA)
Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS)
Impatience
Irritability
They found that participants who ate more trans fats had higher scores on each of these measures.

New York City has taken the initiative to limit how much trans fat can be used by restaurants.