Regulation of Trans-Fats

[gc1765]

"OTTAWA — Health Canada will delay regulation of trans fats in Canadian food products for at least two years, calling instead for industry to voluntarily limit use of the heart-clogging compounds.

Critics blame the delay on opposition from the U.S. government, whose food industry would face complications exporting to Canada if Ottawa introduced binding limits."

Link

As much as I am opposed to unhealthy eating, I think people need to make responsible choices. Read the ingredients on the food you buy, and if the food doesn't list the ingredients, boycott it and buy foods that do list them. If enough people did this, the industry would have to listen. Then again, I'm not sure I see anything good coming from trans fats, so maybe banning it is not such a bad thing? I was a bit surprised at this though:

"Mr. Clement conceded that the trade issue had been raised by the U.S. food industry and their lobbying played a role in his decision to call for voluntary compliance."

Why are U.S. lobbyists playing a role in this decision?

[geoffrey]

Ban it. I rarely support such heavy handed regulation, but we wouldn't allow rat poision in our food, why would we allow such a killer as trans fats?

[gc1765]

Ban it. I rarely support such heavy handed regulation, but we wouldn't allow rat poision in our food, why would we allow such a killer as trans fats?

aaaahhh, but if the ingredients list "rat poison" as an ingredient, how many people would buy it? and if no one would buy it, what's the point in regulating it? But as I said, if we did ban rat poison, I wouldn't be too upset about it.

I also forgot to mention that if we aren't going to ban trans-fats we should at least tax them to pay for the associated health care...I believe this was the topic of another thread.

[geoffrey]

I also forgot to mention that if we aren't going to ban trans-fats we should at least tax them to pay for the associated health care...I believe this was the topic of another thread.

That works for me too.

[Remiel]

Perhaps because people have not equated " trans-fats " to " rat poison " in their minds yet. Keep in mind that it also has a similar name to " saturated fats " which are not as bad for you. Besides, if you listed rat poison as its scientific name, who would know? Or, I could listen chocolate cookies as having both rat poison and dog poison, and some might believe that since the " dog poison " was harmless to humans, the rat poison was too.

Now, imagine how much furor over this there would be if the government were dragging its feet on banning rat poison in food... Its all in the name. It says right there in the article that the last few years of complaints have only brought a 40% drop in trans fat content, yet they want to extend the deadline even further. Was warning them two or three years ago that the government was going to bring in legislation not enough? They should quit this crap and punish them NOW.

My family is not the best at it, but I managed to get my parents to look at trans fats when buying food. I even managed to provoke their anger over KFCs horrendous amount of trans fats in their chicken (which we only ever get maybe once or twice a year to begin with), but I managed to sour them enough to stop the purchase. I still have my doubts about whether their chicken is really trans fat free now, or if that is just a lie of advertising.

[geoffrey]

Your right. Health Canada (since they are there for our good, right??) should have a nice big campaign about how transfats will kill you. Something really graphic, maybe even make a few people sick if they have to watching it. Like the anti-smoking ads. I think fat people are quickly becoming a much greater burden on the system than smokers, but I don't see that reflected in health campaigns or otherwise.

Private insurers would provide incentives. Health Canada will make you wait six weeks for your angioplasty.

[gc1765]

Perhaps because people have not equated " trans-fats " to " rat poison " in their minds yet. Keep in mind that it also has a similar name to " saturated fats " which are not as bad for you. Besides, if you listed rat poison as its scientific name, who would know? Or, I could listen chocolate cookies as having both rat poison and dog poison, and some might believe that since the " dog poison " was harmless to humans, the rat poison was too.

Well, I suppose I'm just playing devil's advocate here...but if rat poison was causing a problem in food, people would know about it. It would be in the news (of course reporting the story would be in the best interest of the media, by making them more profit) as much, if not more than trans fats are. I'm surprised that there is anyone in Canada who doesn't know that trans fats (or for that matter rat poison) are bad for you given how much they are talked about in the media. Or as geoffrey pointed out, if people still aren't getting it, the government could, in theory, come up with an ad campaign to ensure that everyone knows trans fats are bad. Of course, at that point, it's probably easier just to ban them. Like I said, I'm not opposed to banning trans fats...I guess I'm just surprised at people that it has come to the government having to regulate this. If people paid a little more attention to what they ate, this ban wouldn't even be necessary.

[geoffrey]

If people paid a little more attention to what they ate, this ban wouldn't even be necessary.

It's much easier to grab the Doritos. Most Canadians sit on the couch instead of enjoying the amazing environment that we have in Canada. I wouldn't count on them to make reasonable choices. Unfortunately, as long as we have public health care, those unreasonable choices hurt the rest of us.

[scribblet]

I think most people now read the labels right - and many products advertise No Trans Fats.... I'm not sure we need more gov't intervention but they should at least require labelling that states in large print how many trans fats there actually are in the product.

Talking about labelling and the scare about Chinese products; I love Ovaltine or Horlocks and went to buy some. The Chinese labelling was easy to see so as soon as I saw where it was made I put it back. Not sure if I was able to buy any before not made in China, been a while since I bought it. But the news and advertising does made one think twice before buying.

There has to be some individual responsibility for what they buy, but larger print for the offending ingredients would help a lot.

[Leafless]

Your right. Health Canada (since they are there for our good, right??) should have a nice big campaign about how transfats will kill you. Something really graphic, maybe even make a few people sick if they have to watching it. Like the anti-smoking ads. I think fat people are quickly becoming a much greater burden on the system than smokers, but I don't see that reflected in health campaigns or otherwise.

Private insurers would provide incentives. Health Canada will make you wait six weeks for your angioplasty.

I heard most manufacturers will be trading in their trans fat for saturated fat.

What difference this will make relating to coronary heart disease is unknown especially to people who enjoy fried foods. The article posted below limiting saturated fat to 7% of total calories which will most likely be ignored.

But what is known is that we need saturated fats: "Dr. Enig also states that saturated fats are needed for the production of hormones, the stabilization of cellular membranes, the padding around organs, and for energy. "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturated_fat

[gc1765]

But what is known is that we need saturated fats: "Dr. Enig also states that saturated fats are needed for the production of hormones, the stabilization of cellular membranes, the padding around organs, and for energy. "

We don't need saturated fats in our diet because we can make them ourselves (from carbohydrates or protein), so they are not essential. We can't make polyunsaturated fats though, so we need them in our diet.

[August1991]

I still have my doubts about whether their chicken is really trans fat free now, or if that is just a lie of advertising.

I would at most limit the government role to checking such claims, just like the government verifies gasoline pumps for accuracy.

If people want to eat trans-fats, let them. We let people smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol and careen down mountain sides on slim sticks of wood.

Because something is legal, that doesn't mean it is moral, sound or even recommended.

Now then, if we're on the topic of who should pay for the health costs of any dangerous activity, that's a different matter.

In an effort to reduce both back-breaking work for paramedics and the humiliation of patients, a new ambulance specifically designed to accommodate people who weigh up to 1,000 pounds is about to hit the road in Calgary.

...

Obesity comes with a social stigma and a host of problems including diabetes, heart disease and, not surprisingly, trips to the hospital.

G & M

[geoffrey]

Now then, if we're on the topic of who should pay for the health costs of any dangerous activity, that's a different matter.

That's the entire matter. I have to pay out of pocket (well, my private insurance pays it) for physiotherapy and other sports medicine. The fat guy get's his angioplasty and diabeties treatment for free. What up?

(I can tell you physio is much cheaper than a coronary bypass!)

Atheletes pay for their cost because they have to pay out of pocket for their health care (ok, they set bones for free... but I need to buy the cast). Smokers pay specific taxes. Those that eat food that is nearly certain to kill them or put them at risk ride the public wave of political correctness.

[Argus]

Ban it. I rarely support such heavy handed regulation, but we wouldn't allow rat poision in our food, why would we allow such a killer as trans fats?

As with most serious questions the answer is not that easy. I used to think the same, but I've recently been made better aware of the problems involved. Trans fats are used for various reasons, and can't be easily replaced except with saturated fats - but in much greater amounts.

[geoffrey]

Trans fats are used for various reasons, and can't be easily replaced except with saturated fats - but in much greater amounts.

Well, maybe people just need to stop eatting foods that generally contain transfats. There is no doubt between the link in high fat food (trans, saturated or otherwise) and heart disease, the number one killer of Canadians. Not to mention obesity and many other illnesses.

Someone needs to pay for that.

[Leafless]

Trans fats are used for various reasons, and can't be easily replaced except with saturated fats - but in much greater amounts.

Well, maybe people just need to stop eatting foods that generally contain transfats. There is no doubt between the link in high fat food (trans, saturated or otherwise) and heart disease, the number one killer of Canadians. Not to mention obesity and many other illnesses.

Someone needs to pay for that.

Ever hear of personal responsibility.

[geoffrey]

Ever hear of personal responsibility.

Sure. Tell me where I can opt out of tax funded health care and I'll be fine with that.