The ban on the use of trans-fats in restaurants is gaining heat, and as expected, there are mixed reactions from different quarters of the country. New York has already banned it, apart from some theme parks like Disney and Universal Studios. However, Mayor Thomas M. Menino has expressed doubts on discussions to banish unhealthy fats from restaurant kitchens, saying it would be difficult for Boston to enforce a ban similar to the one recently enacted in New York City.

The mayor has admitted that fighting obesity is one of the priorities for public health, but there is no clear-cut relationship between banning these trans-fats and getting the desired results of lowering obesity. He has expressed a clear thought–for a prohibition to be meaningful, it must be easily enforceable. 

It is noticeable here that New York’s health agency ordered restaurants to eliminate trans fat this month. Trans fat is a substance linked to higher rates of cardiovascular disease, and this is the very reason why health agencies across the nation are considering seriously to adopt similar bans on its use.

Well, the mayor sounds good at his positions–there might be some other measures also that need to be implemented in order to ensure that the public is made aware about the problem of obesity. Ordering a ban on certain ingredients can’t help in eliminating the whole problem–there is no way in which inspectors can actually check the food served at every restaurant in the city. However, if people are themselves conscious about the problem, they can choose better of alternated food items that have lower or no use of such fats. It will be more effective if people are made aware about the gravity of the problem; though, we can’t deny, in any way, that banning such ingredients do help in lowering the chances, however small it might be.