Trans Fat Content of Fast-Food Purchases in New York City Has Declined

Ingestion of trans fats is associated strongly with cardiovascular disease. In 2008, New York City restricted use of partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, a major contributor to dietary trans fat, in restaurants. In a cross-sectional study, which was conducted before and after implementation of the regulation, researchers assessed how this regulation affected trans fat and saturated fat contents in almost 15000 fast-food purchases.

From 2007 to 2009, mean trans fat content per purchase decreased from 2.9 g to 0.5 g. The greatest decline in trans fat content was found in hamburger chain restaurants, and the smallest decline was seen in fried chicken chain restaurants. Although mean saturated fat content per purchase increased slightly, mean …