KEY POINTS:
NEW YORK - New York City's board of health today voted to phase out most artificial trans fats from restaurants, forcing doughnut shops and fast-food stands to remove artery-clogging oils from their cooking.
The law will require McDonald's and other fast-food chains that have not already eliminated trans fats to do so by July 2007. They will be given a three-month grace period before facing fines.
Makers of doughnuts and other baked goods will be given until July 2008 to phase out trans fats.
"We know that trans fats increase the chance of heart attack, stroke and death, and they don't have to be there," New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden told a news conference after the vote.
Trans fats increase those health risks by increasing bad cholesterol and reducing good cholesterol.
Frieden said that New York City expects to withstand any lawsuits challenging the ban, and said the action was well within the jurisdiction of the board of health.
"People are no longer dying of typhoid fever. They are dying of heart disease," Frieden said.
In a separate vote, the board of health also ordered restaurants to standardise how they display the number of calories in dishes on their menus in an effort to combat obesity.
That law, to take effect July 1, applies to restaurants that already report the calorie counts and requires them to display the numbers on menus and menu boards. It is expected to affect about 10 per cent of New York City restaurants, including many fast-food establishments.
- REUTERS
