In a new study, researchers found a diet high in trans fats could put people at increased risk for dementia.
Foods that contributed the most to high blood levels of trans fats included sweet pastries, margarine, candies and caramels, croissants, non-dairy creamers, ice cream, and rice crackers.
The research was conducted by a team at Kyushu University in Japan.
Most trans fats were banned in the United States last year. But foods with less than a half-gram of trans fats can be labeled as containing zero, so some foods still contain them.
The new study included over 1,600 people in Japan without dementia.
Their average age was 70, and they were followed for an average of 10 years. During that time, 377 of them developed dementia.
The team found that in the 407 people who started the study with the highest levels of trans fats in their blood, 104 developed dementia, a rate of 29.8 per 1,000 person-years.
Among those with the second-highest level of trans fats, the rate was 27.6 per 1,000 person-years. The rate was 21.3 among those with the lowest trans fat levels in their blood.
The team controlled other dementia risk factors—such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking.
They found that compared to study participants with the lowest levels of trans fats, dementia risk was 52% more likely among those with the highest levels.
The team says these findings give people more reasons to avoid trans fats.
In the United States, the small amounts still allowed in foods can really add up if people eat multiple servings of these foods, and trans fats are still allowed in many other countries.
The lead author of the study is Toshiharu Ninomiya, a professor of epidemiology and public health.
The study is published in the journal Neurology.
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