South Korean children's consumption of trans fats, known as a major cause of heart disease, is twice as much as adults' intake, a study showed Tuesday.
Trans fats are used in many kinds of fast food and snacks. They came into the media spotlight last year when New York City officials banned their use in restaurants.
According to a recent study by the Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA), the average daily consumption of trans fats among 916 children between the ages of five and 12 stood at 0.36 grams, while the figure among 781 adults aged 20-77 was 0.18 grams.
The figure for those aged between 13 to 19 was the highest, at 0.48 grams, the study showed.
However, Korean consumption is overall much lower than that of other nations, with the adult average of the United States and Canada being 5.3 grams and 8.4 grams respectively.
"The higher rate among children shouldn't be particularly alarming, as it is still lower than the amount recommended by the World Health Organization," KFDA's head of the nutritional evaluation team Park Hye-kyung said.
In line with U.S. health officials, a number of local snackmakers, including No. 1 snack company Lotte Confectionery Co., vowed earlier in the month to make efforts to rid the fat from their products.
Seoul, Jan. 23 (Yonhap News)
S. Korean children's trans fat consumption higher than adults |
