Fat is a source of energy (calories), vitamin A, D and E and essential fatty acids (linoleic acid and alpha-linolenic acid). When eating healthy between twenty and forty percent of calorie intake stems from fat. To reduce the risk for heart and cardiovascular disease, it is important to choose products which contain as less as possible saturated fat and no of minimal amounts of trans fatty acids.

For the last twenty years the intake of total fat, trans fatty acids and saturated fatty acids has diminished. Between 1988 and 1998 the intake of trans fatty acids has diminished with as much as almost 60 percent. This was caused amongst others by the reduction of the trans fatty acid percentage in margarines and cooking fats and oils.

Results of the latest Food Consumption Poll (2003) show that the average trans fat consumption has diminished down to almost the acceptable level of intake of 1 energy%. Saturated fat consumption has diminished as well but the fatty acid recommendation of a maximum of 10 energy% is reached by only 11 percent of the men and 6 percent of the women.

MVO does its utmost to improve the fatty acid composition of food. It does so, among others, by stimulating product innovation aimed at changing the fatty acid composition of foodstuff. To this end a couple of years ago MVO installed a Taskforce Responsible Fatty Acid Composition in which, besides MVO, also representatives from users of vegetable oils and fats and government bodies participate.

MVO also provides detailed background information about fats and oils on a website which was especially developed to this end: www.factsonfats.nl.

Furthermore, MVO has taken the initiative to come to a Steering Group ‘Choose Healthy Fat’. This steering group considers the issue on how to provide sufficient incentives to consumers for them to make an equilibrated choice of fats.