OBJECTIVE: Studies have suggested that total intake of trans-fatty acids (TFA) is positively associated with changes in body weight and waist circumference, whereas intake of TFA from ruminant dairy and meat products (R-TFA) has not been associated with weight gain. However, these previous studies are limited by self-reported measures of body weight and waist circumference or by a cross-sectional design. The objective of the present study was to investigate if R-TFA intake was associated with subsequent changes in anthropometry (body weight, waist and hip circumference) measured by technicians and body composition (body fat percentage).

DESIGN: A 6-year follow-up study. Information on dietary intake was collected through diet history interviews, and anthropometric and bioelectrical impedance measurements were obtained by trained technicians at baseline (1987-1988) and at follow-up (1993-1994). Multiple regression with cubic spline modelling was used to analyse the data.

SETTING: Copenhagen County, Denmark.

SUBJECTS: Two hundred and sixty-seven men and women aged 35-65 years from the Danish MONICA (MONItoring of trends and determinants in CArdiovascular diseases) cohort.

RESULTS: The median R-TFA intake was 1.3 g/d (5th, 95th percentile: 0.4, 2.7 g/d) or 0.6% of the total energy intake (5th, 95th percentile: 0.2, 1.1%). No significant associations were observed between R-TFA intake and changes in body weight, waist and hip circumference or body fat percentage.

CONCLUSIONS: R-TFA intake within the range present in the Danish population was not significantly associated with subsequent changes in body size, shape or composition and the 95% confidence intervals indicate that any relevant associations are unlikely to have produced these observations.