My comments in my column in the Southern Courier and this blog last week on obesity resulted in more than a few calls to my office – and just about all of them were supportive. Again, it's just another in my community conversations and the feedback generates not only discussion but also some positive outcomes.
We've had that with some parks and gardens issues, footpaths and some issues at our sporting venues. After last week's item, the National Heart Foundation supplied me with some additional information on reducing trans fats and saturated fats for better heart health.
We've already begun working with our local food processing and retail outlets in a campaign to reduce trans fats. A diet high in these fats is linked with an increased risk of heart disease and if we can reduce these fats in our food then our health outlook is better. You find trans and saturated fats in palm oil, lard, coconut oil, copha, coconut milk, baking margarine, shortening and similar products.
The National Heart Foundation tells me we should first, identify when fats are present in food, then use healthier ingredients and cooking methods and, for food outlets, let their customers know. Knowledge is the key to this and, if you're interested, pop into my office at Eastgardens and get a copy of the information.
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