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Purpose Canada’s public health objective is that ≥ 90% of the population consume <1% of total energy (< 1%En) as trans fatty acids (TFA), in line with World Health Organization recommendations. Our study aimed to estimate usual intakes of total TFA, industrially-produced TFA (i-TFA), and naturally occurring TFA (n-TFA) overall and in subgroups of the population before Canada’s 2018 prohibition on the use of partially hydrogenated oils (PHO) in foods. Methods Data from 1–2 24-h recalls was available for 19,670 participants in the cross-sectional Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS)—Nutrition 2015. Usual intakes of total TFA, i-TFA, n-TFA, and mixed TFA (TFA from foods containing both i-TFA and n-TFA) from all foods and beverages were generated according to the National Cancer Institute method, and weighted to represent the population of Canada aged ≥ 1 and within age, sex, income, and self-reported racial groups. Results For the overall population, the mean usual intake of total TFA was 1.2 g/day (SE:0.02) and represented 0.57%En (SE:0.001). All age-sex groups had mean total TFA intakes <1%En, ranging from 0.52 to 0.71%En. On average, foods containing only n-TFA provided >1/2 of total TFA intake (0.32%En, SE:0.01). The target of ≥ 90% of the population consuming <1%En as TFA had already been achieved before the PHO prohibition in all income, racial, and age-sex groups, except children 1–3 years old, with 86% within target. In that group, foods containing only n-TFA provided >2/3 of total TFA intake (0.48%En, SE:0.02). Conclusion Total TFA intakes in Canada before the PHO prohibition were relatively low, likely due to previous initiatives to reduce i-TFA in foods.

Health Canada's Food Directorate is making available this paper, following an internal peer review by Food Directorate scientific and regulatory experts, to seek comments from peer scientists, regulators and stakeholders prior to finalization. This paper is open for comment commencing June 2, 2014 and closing on August 2, 2014 (60 calendar days). Only comments of a scientific nature will be considered in developing the final version of this document. Authors will strive to document how the various comments received, when deemed relevant, were considered in amending this document and in shaping the final version that will be published.