Lawmaker calls on public health regulators to ban trans fat

I have a feeling this law will backfire and it will make the "nutritionally challenged" think they can order two large fries because they are now "healthy."

One step closer to a socialist dictatorship

Dictatorship? That's a stretch. I think it's a good idea. Force the fast food mega- billionaires to use some money towards R&D and actually give something back to the millions they have helped to destroy internally. I know it is your choice to eat whatever you want but anything that can help benefit the health of Americans I am all for. I have a little girl so I would like to see anything positive get done that could help.Obesity is an epedemic in this country and if will power isn't working then lets do whatever needed to help the problem.

Shouldn't it be the restaurant's choice to ban trans-fat? Who are these lawmakers to say what we can eat and can't eat? It is our body, let us do what we please. If I want a restaurant that has no trans-fat lets let the restaurants use that as their advertising.

The state should not have its hands in private businesses in my opinion. Too much regulation is bad for the Massachusetts economy..

Should it really be up to the "Federal Regulators" what we put in our bodies?

I am really waiting for the real truth to come out.. Obesity is caused by High Frutcose corn syrups, not trans fats. We've all been brainwashed into believing its fats, its not fats at all. Its High Frutcose Corn Syrup. There just has not been enough studies done to prove this case, but its just waiting to happen. Food makers don't want you to know this because they would need to go back to using high-costing sugar cane. Its all about profits, remember!

Tell me I am wrong but funny.. HFCS was introduced into foods in 1975, and was widely used in place of sugar cane by 1981. Gee, isnt that funny, by 1985 we were seeing skyrocketing obesity rates? Coincidence? I think not. Funny.. Trans Fats and High Fat Foods have been around for centuries, but high rate of obesity has not. Again.. Coincidence? I think not.

I also do not support a ban of trans fats period. Its my body, I can do what I want with it. If I want to eat these kinds of foods, I should have the right to do so. No goverment agency should tell me what I can, and cannot eat. Smoking I understand, it can effect other people around you, but high fat foods.. its a personal decision. No one is holding you down forcing you to eat high fat foods, its a personal decision. As far as the mom on here.. you should TEACH your daughter how to eat, not let the goverment decide for her. It all starts with you at home.

Once again, the goverment is acting like a big babysitter for people who do not want to think for themselves.

Forced health care ... now this. Nazi-ism is apparently alive and well and living in Massachusetts.

I agree to call it a "socialist dictatorship" IS a bit of a stretch. And yes, if people don't want to think for themselves, somebody has to. Of course if you want to eat fats and sweets until you die, more power to you. But when it affects others, other people may and do have the right to speak up for and against what you are doing.

Do it all privately and no one would be the wiser....

Kris -
High fat has been around for centuries, yes, but transfats are new. Transfats are made by taking oil(vegetable, soybean, etc) and saturating it with hydrogen which makes it solid at room temperature. And its sold as typically as margarine - its suppose to be better then butter because it doesn't have cholesterol. Only problem: since its not a natural process, out bodies can't break it down and it also can't get rid of it. Which leads to high triglycerides, health problems, the works. So while HFCS is also a problem, at least our body can process the sugars. Transfats just stay with us. We really should work to remove both from our diets. I think this is a good step in the right direction. These items should have never been allowed to enter our foods in the first place.

Socialism - Nazi-ism? Are you people on glue? Or perhaps you don't understand because you have been eating too many trans fats and have artery blockages preventing oxygen from getting to your brains as to allow the concept to penetrate.

Research has proven that trans fats are very unhealthy. Read up on it and educate yourselves, for the sake of your own health and your family's. The government is not trying to "control" your actions. In this case they are trying to promote health and well being - same reasons for smoking bans and fortification of foods like flour (with folic acid to prevent birth defects). These kinds of public health measures are well intended and historically have been very successful.

Furthermore, to propose instead that people limit their intake of trans fats on their own accord is not a solution to this potential public health crisis. Trans fats lurk everywhere (you cannot see or taste them) and it is very difficult for a person to determine (i.e. by shopping for groceries or eating out) whether or not a food contains trans fats. It's a significant effort and a challege for even the most educated person who has the time and energy to sift through product and read every label.

I suggest you all travel to a real communist or non democratic country to see what it means to have these kinds of ideals imposed on you.

All these arguments aside, what is the big loss if you can't use Crisco? It doesn't even TASTE like anything!

I love people like Sara and Rich. It's not a dictatorship as long as you're force to do what they think is right. I'm sure the Nazis felt the same way when they were giving the orders.

There are not a lot of freedoms left in the good old USA. The Government decides, what you're allowed to eat, how your kid will think and who you will socialize with. On top of that they take 30% and more of what you earn and redistribute the wealth to the people they think are worthy. What a scam.

Another sad day for America.

To say that the government is trying to tell you what you can and can't eat is a ridiculous argument. They're not saying that you can't eat french fries or doughnuts - they're just saying to make these items without this unhealthy ingredient. And yes, french fries and doughnuts will still not be the healthiest things you can eat, and it's still your choice whether you want to eat them or not. But personally, I would be happy to know that I can order whatever I want in a restaurant and be comfortable knowing it does not have trans fats in it.

There's nothing wrong with expecting your food to contain healthy, natural ingredients and not substances that have been artificially modified. Hopefully, high fructose corn syrup will be the next one to go!

The problem isn't trans-fats are allowed in restaurants. That is no way to fix this so called "obesity epidemic." How many people take their children to a restaurant more than once a week?

The problem is with the parents. Why not buy your child a bicycle than a television, a basketball hoop rather than a video game system, a surf board rather than a computer. Rather than have the restaurants pay to change their food (private business being controller by the government? We do call that socialism) why don't we educate the parents on how much exercise is needed weekly.

If we are going to ban trans-fats I am also going to request we impose a bill that if their children are overweight the parents healthcare premium goes up by a certain percentage. This way the parents will be forced to make their children make the right decisions.

That is a sensible way to fix it. Maybe it will teach the parents to get their children outside and stop sitting around.

Stop blaming the problems on the food. It can never be the obese people's fault. It has to be the food that is available for him to eat.

The Solution to curing this "obesity epidemic" start at home. Be good parents. Teach your children right from wrong and good from bad. That is all we can do and all we should do.

Let Darwinism take its place
"Survival of the Fittest"

Amazing. Again the thought police telling the lambs of Massachusetts (who are not intelligent enough to think for themselves) what to eat, what not to eat just like good boys and girls.

Big Brother knows best.

Lets mandate everyone exercise too.

Force restaurants to publish their ingredient list if you like but a ban? C'mon. What's next? Menus featuring only recipes approved by some department of nutrition?

Please, Stop the idiocy.

I love it when people think that banning trans fats is some sort of affront to freedom!

All the stuff that tastes good - butter, lard, even Crisco now - are not trans fats. Trans fats are all the weird things you can't pronounce on the ingredients list. Basically, cheap crap.

Do you want butter in your popcorn, or buttery-flavored liquid?

Shouldn't it be the restaurant's choice to ban trans-fat? Who are these lawmakers to say what we can eat and can't eat? It is our body, let us do what we please. If I want a restaurant that has no trans-fat lets let the restaurants use that as their advertising.

The state should not have its hands in private businesses in my opinion. Too much regulation is BAD. Bad for the economy of the Massachusetts.

Should it really be up to the "Federal Regulators" what we put in our bodies?