TRANS FAT BAN
The target of this campaign is to ban partially hydrogenated oils. First of all it is good to clarify what trans fat are: mainly vegetable oils (but it is possible to found it, naturally, in dairy products or meat) that undergo to partially hydrogenation. This process lead to the conversion of naturally occurring “cis” unsaturated double bound into “trans” unsaturated double bound. They are used in commerce for their economic advantages: they are cheap, are semisolid at room temperature (easier use in baked products), they can withstand repeated heating, have longer shelf life and have good taste.[Institute of medicine 2002]
Despite these factors, trans fat are harmful for human health: they are linked to severe coronary heart
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Philadeplhia, New York City et al) banned the use of artificial trans fat in restaurant food. [Steinhauer 2008; Center for Science in the Public Interest 2008]
It was estimated by the FDA that up to 500 lives/year in USA could be saved by the use of trans fat labeling, which aim is to reduce the incidence of heart disease. [Food and Drug administration 2006]
An estimation of reduction in overall CVD, heart disease and stroke mortality rates (4.4%, 3.9% and 8.5% respectively) caused by trans fat bans it is showed by The Ordinary Least Squares (figure 1). [Restrepo and Rieger 2014]
Despite these encouraging results, many people view trans fat bans as a tool that deprives them of their freedom and autonomy to choose what they want. [Williams 2007]
It is fair to say that public health is promoted through this policy since reduction of trans fats consumption is related to decrease of incidence and severity of cardiovascular disease. [Center for Science and the Pubic Interest 2008]
In addition, trans fat bans can also have an effective economic cost-saving, since billions of dollars in health care and related cost can be saved through prevention of cardiovascular