Study on knowledge, attitude and consumption behaviour regarding dietary Trans fats and estimation of the Trans fat levels in commonly consumed fried street foods in Pali city

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases are identified as the foremost cause of death globally. Several major risk factors contribute to these diseases, including unhealthy eating habits, physical inactivity and using tobacco and alcohol. The use of trans fats has risen considerably in recent years. This increase is largely due to them being generally less expensive than healthier alternatives. Objectives: 1. To study the knowledge, attitude and consumption behaviour of trans-fats among residents of Pali city 2. To estimate the amount of trans fats in top 5 commonly consumed fried foods in the district. Methods: Community based observational cross-sectional study at District Hospital/ Urban Health and Training Centre (UHTC) and Rural Health training centre (RHTC) of Government Medical College Pali. Data on various socio-demographic variables, knowledge, attitude and consumption behaviour about dietary trans fats was documented. The analysis of trans fat in food items was done at Omega Test House, Jaipur. Results: A total of 409 participants were enrolled for the study.70.66% (289) participants reported being unaware of trans fats, and 68.9% (282) did not know the difference between natural and artificial trans fats. 50% of the participants were unaware of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils. 46% (188) stated they never checked labels for trans fat content on packaged food items. Despite the lack of awareness, 77% (315) expressed a willingness to reduce their trans fat intake, and 92.7% (379) agreed to adopt dietary changes to do so. Conclusion. There is a clear need to increase public awareness regarding trans fats, especially in light of the rising burden of non-communicable diseases.