American Heart Association Leads Effort to Help Restaurants Switch From Trans Fats to Healthier Oils

First-Ever Nationally Available Online Resource for Restaurants Provides Guidance for Replacing Trans Fats

DALLAS, Oct. 17 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Heart Association is announcing the first-ever online resource to help restaurant operators and other foodservice professionals nationwide replace industrially produced trans fats with healthier oils without sacrificing taste and texture in their foods.

The new "Face the Fats Restaurant Resources" section at AmericanHeart.org/FaceTheFats features guidance and technical assistance tools, including operating tips, lists and profiles of oils and fats containing "0 grams trans fat per serving" and manufacturer contact information.

"Replacing trans fats with healthier fats and oils has become a priority for restaurant operators well beyond New York, which is why we feel it's important to provide guidance and technical assistance that is easily available to anyone who needs them," said Robert H. Eckel, M.D., past president of the American Heart Association, chair of its trans fat task force and professor of medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center at Denver. "The American Heart Association is a leader in educating consumers about fats and the importance of not switching from trans fats back to saturated fats. More and more, we're seeing a trend of consumers looking to make more healthful decisions when dining out. This resource guide will help many restaurants incorporate healthier menu options for their customers."

Information in the "Face the Fats Restaurant Resources" Web section was adapted with permission from the New York City Trans Fat Help Center, which is supported by the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and by an educational grant from the American Heart Association. The association expanded the information to provide help to restaurants across the country.

New Survey (1) Shows Americans More Aware of Trans Fats, Ready to Make the Switch

A recent consumer survey conducted for the American Heart Association shows that:

-- In the last year, awareness of trans fat among Americans is up from 84 percent to 92 percent. This is now on par with awareness of the other already well-known "bad fat," saturated fat (93 percent). -- More than half of Americans (54 percent) say they have heard announcements from restaurants about reducing trans fats in their foods. -- Half of Americans (51 percent) say they order a menu item "sometimes," "most of the time" or "always" because it's marked healthy in some way. -- And a small but growing number of Americans are becoming more proactive about what they eat in restaurants, saying they at least sometimes request ingredient or nutrition information for menu items (15 percent in 2006, 21 percent in 2007).

About the "Face the Fats" Campaign

The American Heart Association's "Face the Fats Restaurant Resources" Web section is the latest effort to teach consumers how to minimize trans fats in their diet and help the foodservice industry stop using oils and fats containing trans fats in restaurants, without defaulting to more saturated fats.

"Face the Fats" helps break down complex fat information and explains bad fats and healthier alternatives. AmericanHeart.org/FaceTheFats is a central online resource for consumers to learn about fats and make smarter choices. The Web site's My Fats Translator is an easy-to-use calculator that gives individuals their personalized daily calorie and fat limits. Users with a BMI above the normal range can get guidance on reducing their caloric intake and raising their level of physical activity. Food scenarios with "bad," "better" and "best" selections are also included.

The campaign also features BadFatsBrothers.com, a virtual "edutainment" center and home of Sat and Trans, the American Heart Association's two characters who personify the bad fats. These "heart breakers" give consumers a way to remember which fats are bad, why they're bad and where they can be found.

The American Heart Association's trans fat education campaign is funded by a class action lawsuit settlement against McDonald's. The American Heart Association has the sole judgment as to the most effective use of the funds. For more information on the campaign, call the American Heart Association at 1-800-AHA-USA1.

Founded in 1924, the American Heart Association today is the nation's oldest and largest voluntary health organization dedicated to building healthier lives, free of heart disease and stroke. These diseases, America's No. 1 and No. 3 killers, and all other cardiovascular diseases claim over 870,000 lives a year. In fiscal year 2005-06, the association invested over $543 million in research, professional and public education, advocacy and community service programs to help all Americans live longer, healthier lives. To learn more, call 1-800-AHA-USA1 or visit americanheart.org.

Note 1: Proprietary national survey conducted for the American Heart Association by Cogent Research. This Web-based survey was conducted May 10-25, 2007 among a sample of 1,000 U.S. adults 18-65 years of age. The margin of error is +/-3.1 percentage points.

American Heart Association

CONTACT: Katie Bell of American Heart Association, +1-214-706-1345,
katie.bell@heart.org ; or Bobbi Williams of Porter Novelli, +1-202-973-3656,
bwilliams@porternovelli.com , for American Heart Association,

Web site: http://BadFatsBrothers.com/
http://www.americanheart.org/