Nutrition labels already list the fat content in food products, but manufacturers must now go a step further.
In July, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration implemented a new regulation requiring unhealthy trans fatty acids to be included on nutrition labels.
According to its Web site, the FDA is taking steps to make food labels more specific to help Americans make healthier food choices.
Will Prokopiak, a grocery purchaser at La Montanita Co-Op Natural Foods Market, said anything the FDA can do to better inform people is a good idea, and he's in favor of making food labels as big and detailed as they can get.
"We could all be better informed about our health," he said.
Prokopiak said college students should be especially cautious when developing food-shopping habits.
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"The food habits they are developing now are the ones they will keep, and will determine their health in the future," Prokopiak said.
Trans fat is formed through an artificial process called hydrogenation: when food manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats, such as with shortening and margarine.
According to the FDA's Web site, food manufacturers use hydrogenation to preserve a food product's shelf life and to enhance taste.
Foods that contain trans fat include salad dressings, crackers, candies and baked and processed foods.
High amounts of trans fat increase the risk of developing heart disease, which accounts for more than 500,000 deaths a year, according to the American Heart Association's Web site.
Paul Noren, a part-time faculty member in the UNM Mathematics and Statistics department, said a nationwide increase in helpful health information is necessary. He said, though, people will not care about the listing of dangerous ingredients such as trans fat unless more information about them is offered on the label.
"Americans are becoming more conscious about what they put into their bodies, but just listing everything in food on the nutrition label is not enough," Noren said. "There needs to be an increased effort to educate people about their harmful effects so better choices can be made."
According to the FDA's Web site, trans fat is dangerous because it raises the low-density lipoprotein, or "bad" cholesterol in the body, which is directly linked to a higher risk of coronary heart disease.
In addition, trans fat also lowers the "good" cholesterol in the body.
Craig Sinsabaugh, a UNM senior, said he makes an effort to read the nutrition labels on the food he buys, but admits he does not look for the fat content in everything he eats.
"Food labeling creates more confusion," Sinsabaugh said. "I don't know anybody who really looks at those things. I know fat is bad for me, but trying to eat healthy is too much trouble."
The FDA estimates that by 2009, the new labeling program could prevent more than 1,000 cases of heart disease and as many as 500 deaths a year.
