The food industry in the United States is being put under pressure to reform and to start producing healthy and low fat food. Statistics show that American people are getting fatter and fatter and supermarkets, food manufacturers and especially fast food restaurants are being blamed for this. The cost to the nation of obesity is massive with health bills rising and obesity related illnesses growing at an alarming rate.

One of the restaurants singled out for criticism is Wendy's; a huge multi-State chain of restaurants that sell burgers and fries by the truckload and that are a household name all over America. In response to the obesity epidemic and also due to the recent furore surrounding trans fat, Wendy's has agreed to remove trans fat from the majority of its food in the US and even in Canada and will now be using a non-hydrogenated cooking oil to cook its chips and breaded chicken.

Trans fat is notorious as an artery blocker. Of all the different types of cooking oil hydrogenated oils are the worst for you but also the easiest to cook with as they hold the flavours of the food in for the longest. Probably the healthiest oil to use for cooking is olive oil but all oils must used in moderation. One of the health problems with fatty food is that it will block the arteries in the long term and this can cause heart attacks and general ill health.

This move by Wendy's is a small move in the right direction and may encourage other fast food chains to follow suit (some have already) and also get the nation to start to become more healthy and fit.