Koutoujian Calls on the Department of Public Health to Ban Trans Fat - 08/19/2008
Koutoujian Calls on the Department of Public Health to Ban Trans Fat
Asks DPH to Propose and Implement Regulations to Eliminate Harmful Oils
Boston - In a letter to Department of Public Health Commissioner John Auerbach, Representative Peter Koutoujian called on the Patrick Administration to establish regulations which would phase out the use of trans fat in Massachusetts restaurants over the next 12-18 months.
Legislation introduced by Koutoujian enacting such a ban passed the House of Representatives with overwhelming support; however, action was not taken in the Senate due to time constraints at the end of the formal legislative session.
“The Patrick Administration and Commissioner John Auerbach in particular have been champions when it comes to this kind of action intended to improve the lives of Massachusetts residents,” Koutoujian said. “I look forward to working with them to continue our commitment of putting the interests of public health first.”
Artificial trans fats pose a triple threat to our health. They not only elevate LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, they also lower HDL, or “good” cholesterol. Artificial trans fats are also directly linked to an increased risk of heart disease and serve no nutritional value. According to the Institute of Medicine, there is no safe level of artificial trans fat consumption because any amount of intake contributes to the risk of coronary heart disease. In addition, a study by the Harvard School of Public Health suggests that as many as one in four heart attacks would be avoided by enacting a statewide ban, as well as 1,400 deaths in Massachusetts each year. Researchers are also uncovering links to increased risks of developing stroke, Type II diabetes and obesity.
A copy of Representative Koutoujian’s letter is attached.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Trans Fat
What Is “Trans Fat”?
Trans fat, or trans fatty acids, is a type of fat that raises the risk of heart disease. While some trans fat occurs naturally, most is artificial. Trans fat is recognized to be the most harmful of all fats, even worse than saturated fats. Foods that may contain trans fat include vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, candies, baked goods, snack foods and other foods, such as salad dressings, that are made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils.
Artificial trans fat is created when manufacturers add hydrogen to liquid vegetable oil—a chemical process called hydrogenation—to make the oils more solid. Another name for trans fats is “partially hydrogenated oil.” Foods that contain artificial trans fat include margarines, shortenings, and fry oils, as well as many baked goods, mixes, and packaged foods.
Why are Artificial Trans Fats Used In Our Food?
Artificial trans fats are used as a preservative to elongate the shelf life of food.
Are We Sure That Artificial Trans Fats are Unhealthy?
Harvard School of Public Health researchers estimate that industrially produced artificial trans fats cause 72,000 to 228,000 heart attacks nationally, with 30,000 to 100,000 of these being fatal, every year. In the Commonwealth, artificial trans fats cause as few as 1,400 and as many as 4,000 premature deaths annually.
A recent Harvard School of Public Health document summarized the impact of artificial trans fats, explaining that it lowers levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) particles, which scour blood vessels for bad cholesterol and transport it to the liver for disposal.
It also promotes inflammation - an overactivity of the immune system - that has been implicated in heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and other chronic conditions.
Eating trans fat reduces the normal healthy responsiveness of endothelial cells, the cells that line all of our blood vessels. In animal studies, it has been shown to lead to obesity and resistance to insulin, the precursor to diabetes.
The Institute of Medicine has concluded that “there is no safe level of trans fatty acids and people should eat as little of them as possible.”
Have Any Municipalities in Massachusetts Banned Artificial Trans Fats?
Boston, Brookline and Cambridge have already taken action. Dozens of other municipalities in Massachusetts are considering prohibiting artificial trans fats and 14 other states are considering or have enacted statewide bands.
Why Should Massachusetts Ban Trans Fat?
Our state is ready for it. A recent poll done in February by Channel 7 and Suffolk University reported that over two-thirds, or 67% of Massachusetts residents are supportive of a statewide ban.
How Will a Ban on Artificial Trans Fat Impact The Restaurant Business?
The Massachusetts Restaurant Association and the Grocer Manufactures Association have not taken a position on phasing out the use of trans fats.
Roger Berkowitz, President and CEO of Legal Sea Foods, who began removing artificial trans fat from his restaurants eight years ago, argues that a statewide ban would be a better alternative than various local municipalities determining different courses of action. He also added that because non-trans fat oils absorb less oil, food tastes cleaner and the oil lasts longer – making it cost neutral.
The New York City Health Department concluded that the price of oils without artificial trans fat is comparable to oils with trans fat, especially when consideration is given to the extended fry-life of some replacement oils.
What Organizations Oppose Phasing Out the Use of Trans Fat?
None.
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