KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Health and Wellness says it is taking steps to eliminate unhealthy industrial trans fats from the local diet and has started the process to determine how much of the foods consumed by Jamaicans contain the ingredient.

Minister Christopher Tufton said the key findings of a study conducted by the National Health Fund (NHF) and the University of Technology (UTech), indicate that trans fats are found in 117 of 296 food samples, that is, 39.5 per cent of commonly consumed foods in Jamaica.

Tufton who was making his contribution in the 2022/23 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives recently, said that the findings of the study must now be infused in the overall engagement of the public around knowing the content of their foods, as part of measures to encourage more healthy eating habits.

“We will begin, in the coming months, by inviting private sector stakeholders, manufacturers and distributors to present and discuss the findings,” he said pointing out that trans fats or trans fatty acids are a major source of cardiovascular disease such as heart attacks and strokes. They can be found in fast foods, baked goods, oils and shortening, among others.

Minister Tufton noted that most advanced countries in the world have restricted or banned trans fats given the negative impact on public health and health care costs.

“If it’s not good for them, it should not be good for us. The time has come to move for the elimination of industrial trans fats in our food system and we have started that process,” he said.

The Ministry is also encouraging the reduction of salt intake as part of a healthy eating pattern and to prevent hypertension and cardiovascular disease.

A recent study on sodium consumption locally finds that two thirds or 67 per cent of Jamaicans, 15 years and older, consume more than the recommended daily amount of sodium.

Adults are advised to consume less than two grams of added sodium per day, while for persons who are hypertensive, the recommended daily intake is less than 1.5 grams.

“Part of our role …to influence health seeking behaviour, is to expose this information and we are intent on completing that study, making it public and then have dialogue, over time, around how we can influence a change in the consumption of excessive sodium,” Dr Tufton said.