WHEREAS, both trans and saturated fatty acids have been recognized as unhealthy and have been associated with increased heart and circulatory diseases,

WHEREAS, heart disease is a preventable disease costing the economy millions of dollars annually,

WHEREAS, numerous public agencies including schools, hospitals, and prisons feed and provide health care at public expense to portions of the population.

WHEREAS, more than 1 billion pounds of trans fats in U.S. diets each year come from partially hydrogenated cooking oils used in making fried foods,

WHEREAS, effective January 1, 2006, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that all food labels must list the amount of unhealthy trans fats to give consumers better information when choosing their food,

WHEREAS, the FDA, leading scientific research and public health institutions such as the Harvard School of Public Health and the American Heart Association, and the medical profession in general, have called for the use of food oils having no trans and low saturated fatty acids

WHEREAS, there are now readily available sunflower and canola healthy cooking oils that contain less that one percent trans fats that when used as part of a healthy meal can deliver a label claim of trans fat free,

WHEREAS, food studies have shown there are no taste and cooking quality detriments in using food oils containing no trans and low saturated fatty acids,

WHEREAS, at least one major snack food company, has declared it will be switching to no trans, low saturated sunflower oil because of growing consumer health concerns, resulting in an estimated reduction of 60 million pounds of saturated fat a year from the nation’s diet,

WHEREAS, the Commissioner of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene has called for New York City restaurants to remove trans fats from restaurant kitchens.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT: the American Legislative Exchange Council calls, where economically justifiable, for public agencies that provide food and or health care, to use healthy cooking oils, which offer both no trans and low saturated fats as a way of improving the overall health of the general public and reducing the health-related tax burden.

Approved by ALEC Board of Directors in 2006.