We live in the generation of the health revolution. Every time you turn around there's a new gym being built. This year's biggest “super food” is kale. Salads, smoothies, whatever you want. There are so many healthy options available to the public, but sometimes it seems like all of these healthy choices are ignored. The so-called “obesity epidemic” is not due to the content of food. The problem is that we eat too much and exercise too little. Over the past decade, there have been numerous reports stating that a major cause of high cholesterol and coronary heart disease is trans fats, which are produced by hydrogenating vegetable oil. This process increases the shelf life and enhances the flavors of any product containing it (Miller). These trans fats can be very harmful, but if consumed only occasionally they are no worse than anything else. In fact, many fast foods don't even contain trans fats. Many health activists argue that the only way to stop the rise of obesity, or rather the decline in health, is to ban trans fats. These activists fail to understand that trans fats are not the problem. The problem lies in our nation's apparent inability to choose its well-being over the convenience of high-calorie foods, whether or not they contain trans fats. We don't need to take unnecessary government action to solve a problem that could be solved with just a teaspoon of self-control. For several years the FDA has required food manufacturers to label anything containing more than 0.5 grams of trans fat as such (Assaf 328). Many restaurants have independently and voluntarily eliminated trans fats from their products without request from the government (Assaf 329). The HHS and USDA have released a set of dietary guidelines…halfway through the document…the facts quickly and give them a way to learn more if they want. Also in this case it is left to the public's choice whether or not they wish to participate in learning about their health. If the government mandated that you eat a certain way and attend health classes once a month, things would start to look a lot like they did in 1984. Works Cited Assaf, Raymen R., MA. “Overview of Local, State, and National Legislation Restricting Trans Fats.” Clinical Therapy 36.3 (2014): 328-32. Network. April 27, 2014.Beato, Greg. “How Nutrition Destroys Your Free Will to Get Fat.” Reason. December 2006: 19.Miller, Alan. “A transition phase”. Spiked October 27, 2006 11 April 27, 2014"Nutritional Choices." :: McDonalds.com. Np, April 22, 2014. Web. April 25, 2014. Tucker, Cynthia. “Wide-ranging efforts are needed to attack Americans' obesity.” Portland PressHerald December 30, 2006: A9