Doctor makes point against McDonald’s
� IN-FORUM �: "Doctor makes point against McDonald’s
By Patrick Springer, The Forum
Published Thursday, August 25, 2005
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Dr. Vinod Seth has grown weary of seeing the damage that diets heavy in fats routinely wreak: obesity, diabetes, heart disease.
The infectious disease specialist from Bismarck has become an outspoken critic of the fast-food industry, which relies heavily on processed foods high in trans fats.
“As a physician I truly believe trans fats are truly a public health hazard,” he said. “It’s a lethal cellular poison.”
Seth traveled to San Rafael, Calif., where he testified Wednesday against a proposed settlement in a class-action lawsuit against McDonald’s. He collected petition signatures of more than 80 North Dakotans from the Bismarck area.
“I did make my point,” he said in a phone interview after his testimony. “We got North Dakota there.”
Amid increasing public pressure, McDonald’s announced in September 2002 that it would reduce its use of trans fats in cooking oils by February 2003 – a goal it failed to meet.
Seth was one of only three opponents who appeared to speak against the proposed settlement, which calls for McDonald’s to pay $7 million to the American Heart Association for a public education campaign.
“I believe it lets them off the hook,” he said. Instead, McDonald’s should be forced to reduce its use of trans fats. “They did it in Europe, they’re not doing it in the U.S.”
Trans fats, which the food industry embraced as a replacement for unhealthy saturated fats, have been implicated in everything from diabetes to macular degeneration, Seth said. Trans fats are partially hydrogenated vegetable oils used to make crackers crisp and are found in the fryers of most fast-food chains.
The New York City health commissioner recently asked the city’s restaurants to stop serving foods containing trans fats, comparing them to toxic substances like asbestos or lead. Denmark has banned trans fats, and Canada is considering a ban.
Beginning in January, foods in grocery stores must carry labels disclosing whether they contain trans fats.
In his practice, Seth sees diabetes patients suffering from complications, including infections. Many patients became overweight because of a diet heavy in fast foods and processed foods, he said.
“The only thing that’s good about it is that it’s cheap,” Seth said of trans fat.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Patrick Springer at (701) 241-5522"
By Patrick Springer, The Forum
Published Thursday, August 25, 2005
� advertisement �
Dr. Vinod Seth has grown weary of seeing the damage that diets heavy in fats routinely wreak: obesity, diabetes, heart disease.
The infectious disease specialist from Bismarck has become an outspoken critic of the fast-food industry, which relies heavily on processed foods high in trans fats.
“As a physician I truly believe trans fats are truly a public health hazard,” he said. “It’s a lethal cellular poison.”
Seth traveled to San Rafael, Calif., where he testified Wednesday against a proposed settlement in a class-action lawsuit against McDonald’s. He collected petition signatures of more than 80 North Dakotans from the Bismarck area.
“I did make my point,” he said in a phone interview after his testimony. “We got North Dakota there.”
Amid increasing public pressure, McDonald’s announced in September 2002 that it would reduce its use of trans fats in cooking oils by February 2003 – a goal it failed to meet.
Seth was one of only three opponents who appeared to speak against the proposed settlement, which calls for McDonald’s to pay $7 million to the American Heart Association for a public education campaign.
“I believe it lets them off the hook,” he said. Instead, McDonald’s should be forced to reduce its use of trans fats. “They did it in Europe, they’re not doing it in the U.S.”
Trans fats, which the food industry embraced as a replacement for unhealthy saturated fats, have been implicated in everything from diabetes to macular degeneration, Seth said. Trans fats are partially hydrogenated vegetable oils used to make crackers crisp and are found in the fryers of most fast-food chains.
The New York City health commissioner recently asked the city’s restaurants to stop serving foods containing trans fats, comparing them to toxic substances like asbestos or lead. Denmark has banned trans fats, and Canada is considering a ban.
Beginning in January, foods in grocery stores must carry labels disclosing whether they contain trans fats.
In his practice, Seth sees diabetes patients suffering from complications, including infections. Many patients became overweight because of a diet heavy in fast foods and processed foods, he said.
“The only thing that’s good about it is that it’s cheap,” Seth said of trans fat.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Patrick Springer at (701) 241-5522"
posted by Greta Jane | Friday, August 26, 2005
1 Comments:
And TFA's also reduce the amount of long chain fatty acids in baby's cord blood as well as mom's breastmilk potentially lowering the availability of these basic building blocks of the brain and retina.
See Bismarck tribune interview from Jan 06www.bismarcktribune.com.
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