BEIJING, Aug. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- The New York City health department on Wednesday asked all restaurants to stop serving food containing trans fats, according to a report in The New York Times.

    The request, the first of its kind by any large American city, is the latest salvo in the battle against trans fats.

    Trans fats, which are prominent in foods like cookies and French fries, are chemically modified ingredients that can be found in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, the report said.

    The Times, citing health officials, said the fats increase the risk of heart disease and should not be part of any healthy diet.

    "To help combat heart disease, the No. 1 killer in New York City, we are asking restaurants to voluntarily make an oil change and remove artificial trans fat from their kitchens," Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the city's health commissioner, was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

    A survey by the health department's food inspectors found that 30 to 60 percent of the city's 20,000 restaurants use partially hydrogenated oil in food preparation, the Times reported.

    According to the paper, the city plans to conduct another survey next year to determine the effectiveness of the campaign and will then assess what further steps might be needed. Enditem

    (Agencies)