Fast food retailers and supermarket chains are removing unhealthy trans fats from the products they sell. KFC announced this week that partially hydrogenated vegetable oil would no longer be used throughout its 5,500 US restaurants, with British outlets following “as soon as possible”. In the UK, Marks & Spencer, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Asda have already removed trans fats from their product ranges. Other fast food companies in Britain and abroad are now under pressure to follow suit and abandon the fats, which have proven links to heart disease and obesity and are probably implicated in diabetes and stroke. Most fast food chains in Britain have already reduced levels of trans fats in their frying oil. The British Medical Journal has called on the UK government to legislate against the use of trans fats as Denmark has already done. US restaurant capitals New York and Chicago plan to ban the commercial use of trans fats within months. The Times 04/11/06 page 34 The Guardian 04/11/06 page 40 (Reader’s Page)

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