New York City bans trans fat at restaurants

[mjs1973]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/12/05....ap/index.html


Is Big Brother going to far?

[mwfanelli]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/HEALTH/12/05....ap/index.html


Is Big Brother going to far?

Another silly rule, politicians telling everyone else how to live their lives. They should be boiled in trans fat oils!

[SmartWombat]

"director of the Yale Prevention Research Center."
they have a centre for the prevention of Yale? Cool !

"it's only chains with standardized items that would be affected"
who are the main perps anyway.

The whole cis/trans debate is a metabolic issue. Like L and R stereoisomers, the body processes very similar chemicals differently.

[adina]

It's about time! Because now those two Big Macs and supersized fries that I had for lunch won't make my ass huge.

The problem isn't trans fat. The problem is portion size and convienience. Suppose I had my recommended serving size soaked in trans fat fries once a month, no big deal. Suppose I had those same fries, every day for lunch and dinner, don't forget to super size and add on my made from lard milkshake. Add in whatever beef-product sandwich I choose of the the combo board, and I'll be set. I'd be dead by 50.

eta...okay I just read the article. And people who don't have enough sense to know that eating McD's for dinner every night is bad for them obviously need the govenment to supervise them. There's other quick alternatives to McD's. Make yourself a frickin pb&j.

[walterick]

Well, it's about time! Trans-saturated fat is a synthesized chemical not occuring in nature which must be added deliberately to food (for its taste). It is dangerous and helps kill people who don't know they are consuming it. Bravo for Bloomberg. And shame on the FDA for allowing this substance to remain legal despite the science demonstrating it is pointless and deadly. Let people jump off bridges if they want to kill themselves. By banning transfats, I don't have to help pay for the cost of people bringing themselves slow, painful, unhappy deaths.

[greghalliday]

Trans-saturated fat is a synthesized chemical not occuring in nature which must be added deliberately to food (for its taste).

While I understand what you're getting at and agree about the health issues of trans fats, I must disagree academically on just two isses. Trans unsaturated (saturated fats have no cis/trans configuration possible simply because they are saturated [no double bonds]) fats do indeed occur naturally. There is an isomer of linoleic acid called conjugated linoleic acid that is present (among other places) in milk fat. I'm not sure at what position the trans configured bond is, but I know there is one. But yes the vast majority of fats be they free fatty acids or part of triacylglycerols are cis isomers if unsaturated. And If I remember correctly, most enzymes that catalyze in vivo reactions to synthesize unsaturated fatty acids will make the cis isomer.

The science is there to support the negative effects of artificially synthesized trans unsaturated fats and to avoid them may be prudent; the outlawing of them by government edict may be a bit much. I would love if none of my patients had vascular disease and dyslipidemia. They are, however, free to choose for themselves what they eat. I can only advise them. Trans fats should go away because everyone refuses to eat them and thus kills their economic viability.

BTW, how's the Valley? It's freezing up here! How 'bout sending some sun and warmth north?

[conbu19]

I Am 63yrs Old. When I Was About 10-11,cranberry's Were The Villain,cancer Was The Result Of Eating Cranberry's. Fifteen Years Ago Or So Fat Was Deemed Deadly,they Made Turkey Bacon And Sausage,charged Twice As Much,a Couple Of Years Ago,whoops,bad Stuff In The Turkey Sausage,eat The Real Sausage.
Any Of You Cats No Anyone Who Has Lived Forever? Course You Don't
Eat Food Moderately,or Not,if That Is Your Want,exercise,try Not To Smoke Too Much,or Drink Too Much,look Both Ways Crossing The Street,don't Drive Drunk,don't Get Stoned Or High And Be Home By Ten O'clock. You Still Won't Have The Vaguest Idea How Long You Will Live Or What Level Of Enjoyment You'll Get Out Of Life.relax A Bit,be As Kind As You Can To Your Fellows And Even If You Die Tomorrow(falling Off The Ladder You've Been On Hanging The "no More Burgers" Sign Over Town Hall)people Will Think Kindly Of Your Memory. Steve B.

[walterick]

Hey Greg, nice to see you around again!

The valley's been nice during the days and cool at night. I'm getting tired of cold (for us) and ready for some 80's again! I am heading up north this weekend to the res to get some christmas gifts. Not heading quite so far north as you however.

Thanks for the update on the transfats. I wasn't that aware of all the science behind it.

Politically, we seem to have two camps up here:

1) The government should protect people
2) The government should let people do whatever they want

You're saying people have the right to kill themselves by eating crappy food. But what of the people who don't realize they're eating transfat? This is the case when you walk into a restaurant. The only way to insure the protection of all the people is to make sure no one eats trans fat when they eat out. At home, where you can read the trans fat content on a nutrition label, is where they can kill themselves.

Protect the innocent, I say. And thanks for your feedback!

[mwfanelli]

You're saying people have the right to kill themselves by eating crappy food. But what of the people who don't realize they're eating transfat? This is the case when you walk into a restaurant.

Just require a sign stating that trans fats are being used. Let the customer decide, not government taking all choices away.

The only way to insure the protection of all the people is to make sure no one eats trans fat when they eat out.

This is a very draconian solution to a very simple problem. Why ban only trans fats, why not everything and anything that is harmful, including portion sizes?

Protect the innocent, I say.!

The innocent (what a term!) can protect themselves. Just how much "protection" does one get from politicians anyway?

[walterick]

Just require a sign stating that trans fats are being used. Let the customer decide, not government taking all choices away.

Not all meals in a restaurant have trans fat in them. A restaurant which added trans fats to any of its meals would have to have a sign out front saying it's using tans fat. First of all, that would probably mean all restaurants would have the sign, making the motion pointless. Second, it would probably be financially destructive. And third, it doesn't help consumers inside the restaurant pick from the foods which do have it added and the ones that don't. A sign out front would be a blanket statement and not at all helpful to people making individual, healthy choices. Each menu item would have to have a declaration by it indicating whether or not it has trans fat in it.

Why ban only trans fats, why not everything and anything that is harmful, including portion sizes?

Because portion sizes aren't harmful. Getting stuffed on blueberries would probably give you a tummy ache, at best. It's the ingredients in the foods that are poisonous. Michael, transfats should be banned from being added to food for the same reason rat poison should be banned from being added to food. They're both deadly, one just takes longer and costs more in medial care before you die (arguably). Under your rule, all actions and choices would be "okay," and there would be no commonsense prevention of easily avoidable problems (such as heart disease.) The average American is not educated enough to make an informed decision abot every potential threat out there. That's why the government steps in to regulate the actions of those who would behave destructively toward others.

The innocent (what a term!) can protect themselves. Just how much "protection" does one get from politicians anyway?

The innocent cannot protect themselves if they don't know there's a danger. That's the role of their government, is to seek out dangers in our society and protect us from them. We don't have time to research them all for ourselves, so we hire and elect people to do it for us.

And politicians do protect us. But the help they give could be amplified ten-fold if they would start voting along common-sense lines and stop lining their pockets with the bills from special interests - such as the food and drug industries.

[mwfanelli]

Not all meals in a restaurant have trans fat in them. A restaurant which added trans fats to any of its meals would have to have a sign out front saying it's using tans fat. First of all, that would probably mean all restaurants would have the sign, making the motion pointless.

Some restaurants voluntarily add "low fat" symbols to the menu already. Some note which foods have peanut products in them. Chinese restaurants indicate "hot" or "mild" while some mark "MSG free." A restaurant knows what it uses in making the foods. If trans-fat used, marking it is simple, cheap, and pain free.

Because portion sizes aren't harmful.

Wow! I guess the AMA, as well as state and federal health departments got this one wrong! They all believe that obesity is due to super-sizing and huge plates filled with food. Obesity-related illnesses kills many more people than trans fats do.

It's the ingredients in the foods that are poisonous. Michael, transfats should be banned from being added to food for the same reason rat poison should be banned from being added to food. They're both deadly, one just takes longer and costs more in medial care before you die (arguably).

Well, let's see now. I have insulin-dependent diabetes. Perhaps I should have NYC ban sucrose from food so I don't die from complications. Chocolate is like rat poison to me. Please government, save me from myself! It's not just me as diabetes is now running rampant even in children. Let's compare how many people die from diabetes-related problems compared to those who die from trans-fat.

The innocent cannot protect themselves if they don't know there's a danger. That's the role of their government, is to seek out dangers in our society and protect us from them. We don't have time to research them all for ourselves, so we hire and elect people to do it for us.

Here is the truly fundamental key to all of our differences. To me, this is NOT the role of government. Nannyism runs wild in this country and is getting worse all the time. If I want a nanny or caretaker, I will hire one. I don't want one imposed on me by politians.

And politicians do protect us. But the help they give could be amplified ten-fold if they would start voting along common-sense lines and stop lining their pockets with the bills from special interests - such as the food and drug industries.

Ack!!!!!

[Canuck935]

http://www.bantransfats.org