What ever happened to banned books? You know, "The Catcher in the Rye" and the like. The type that throngs of parents used to vehemently argue over at PTA meetings. Who knows, maybe it's because no one lately has written a book worth banning. So, in lieu of books, the new trend seems to be banning fat. Is it a good idea? Or should we forgive trans fat for its adipose transgressions? In efforts to avoid an argument on civil liberties, my answer will deal strictly with the health implications.

Fresh off the heels of the proposed ban on trans fat in NYC (which was discussed in a previous CardioBlog entry by Nine Dejanvier), I think it bears mentioning that trans fats may actually be worse for you than previously thought. In a study conducted at Wake Forest University, it was discovered that male monkeys who consumed diets containing trans fats registered a 7.2 percent increase in bodyweight, compared to a 1.8 percent increase that occurred in monkeys that ate diets rich in monosaturated fats. What the researchers found most surprising is that this difference in weight still took place even though both groups of monkeys were consuming the same amount of total calories. It was further stated that the amount of calories that the monkeys were consuming should have just maintained their weight and not increased it.

That's bad news if you're a monkey. Unfortunately, it applies to humans, too. Part of ensuring heart health includes maintaining a comfortable and safe body weight. Monkeys have little trouble doing this since most of their day is spent climbing and swinging on trees. Generally speaking, we humans don't have that kind of time on our hands, so we do our best to exercise and eat healthy as often as we can. But, based on this research, it appears that even if we are exercising and strictly monitoring our caloric intake, trans fats can still pack some pounds onto our frames.

Ban trans fats? From a health standpoint, sure, go for it. And ban books? Oh no, the slope is getting very slippery.