Trans fats to be phased out, FDA says

Article #1

Dennis, Brady. (6 November 13) Trans fats to be phased out, FDA says. Washington Post.

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     1. Category of problem: Health

2. Level of problem: National

3. The article concerns: The recent announcement that the FDA plans to eventually eliminate the sale and consumption of trans fats.

4. Why is this important to families/individuals OR how does it affect individuals/families?

a. The lives of many individuals and families could be changed if the FDA eliminates trans fats in food products. Many families lose loved ones from hear related conditions. The article states that the elimination of these harmful fats “could prevent 20,000 heart attacks and 7,000 deaths from heart disease each year.”

5. What are your views on the issue/policy?

             a. I think that eliminating trans fats is a great idea, hypothetically speaking. The food industry has served trans fats for too long that too many people have grown a love for these fatty foods. The article names a few examples that some people consume daily; the elimination of foods such as frozen pizza, microwave popcorn, frosting, and coffee creamer would cause a riot. However, I feel that it is possible to lessen the consumption or even to eliminate the sale of trans fats we should take a step in that direction. Hundreds of thousands of people die due to heart disease each year, in fact, it is the leading cause of death in the United States. If we have a solution (eliminating trans fats) that could prevent a number of these deaths each year, we need to follow it. The FDA knows and is prepared for the amount of time that this is going to take; they know that this will take a lot of effort from manufacturers and that this elimination will not happen overnight. We need to at least start the process to lower the amount of trans fats that are released to consumers everywhere. Trans fats literally block the arteries and should not be a part of our diet. The FDA should get the ball rolling and start the long process of removing these harmful fats from our eating habits.