According to a study published online by PLoS ONE, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have found that consumption of dietary trans fatty acids (dTFAs) is linked to aggression and irritability. The study was led by Beatrice Golomb, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor in the UC San Diego Department of Medicine.

The study, which involved almost 1,000 men and women, is the first to provide evidence that dTFAs are associated with adverse behaviors, such as overt aggression and impatience.

Trans fatty acids are usually found in processed food that has been hydrogenated, which makes unsaturated fats become solid at room temperature. Prepared foods, margarine, and shortenings all contain high levels of dTFAs. Adverse health effect of dietary trans fatty acids have been found in insulin resistance, lipid levels, oxidation, cardiac health, metabolic function, and inflammation.

In order to examine the association between dTFAs and aggression and irritability, the researchers used baseline dietary information and behavioral evaluations of 947 adult men and women.

The researchers measured factors, such as conflict tactics, life history of aggression, irritability as well as self-rated impatience. The team also used an “overt aggression” scale in order to record recent aggressive behaviors. The examinations were adjusted for, age, sex, tobacco product use, alcohol use, as well as eduction.

Golomb, said:

“We found that greater trans fatty acids were significantly associated with greater aggression, and were more consistently predictive of aggression and irritability, across the measures tested, than the other known aggression predictors that were assessed.

If the association between trans fats and aggressive behavior proves to be causal, this adds further rationale to recommendations to avoid eating trans fats, or including them in foods provided at institutions like schools and prisons, since the detrimental effects of trans fats may extend beyond the person who consumes them to affect others.”

Written by Grace Rattue