FOOD labels should list all fats, not just the saturated kind, to help reduce rates of heart disease, say researchers.
Helping consumers to spot which products contain trans fatty acids - or trans fats - could cut the risk of heart disease, says a British Medical Journal article.
Trans fats increase cholesterol and the risk of coronary heart disease, the article says.
They are made from a vegetable oil base and are used as an ingredient in processed foods, such as margarine, biscuits, cakes and fast food.
The article refers to a previous study which linked a 2% increase in energy intake from trans fatty acids to a 23% rise in coronary heart disease rates.
Both saturated fats and trans fats increase the amount of so-called `bad cholesterol' in the blood and reduce the amount of `good cholesterol'.
