Impact of a municipal policy restricting trans fatty acid use in New York City restaurants on serum trans fatty acid levels in adults

Objectives. To estimate the impact of the 2006 policy restricting use of trans fatty acids (TFAs) in New York City restaurants on change in serum TFA concentrations in New York City adults. Methods. Two cross-sectional population-based New York City Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys conducted in 2004 (n = 212) and 2013–2014 (n = 247) provided estimates of serum TFA exposure and average frequency of weekly restaurant meals. We estimated the geometric mean of the sum of serum TFAs by year and restaurant meal frequency by using linear regression. Results. Among those who ate less than 1 restaurant meal per week, geometric mean of the sum of serum TFAs declined 51.1% (95% confidence interval [CI] = 42.7, 58.3)—from 44.6 (95% CI = 39.7, 50.1) to 21.8 (95% CI = 19.3, 24.5) micromoles per liter. The decline in the geometric mean was greater (P for interaction = .04) among those who ate 4 or more restaurant meals per week: 61.6% (95% CI = 55.8, 66.7) or from 54.6 (95% CI = 49.3, 60.5) to 21.0 (95% CI = 18.9, 23.3) micromoles per liter. Conclusions. New York City adult serum TFA concentrations declined between 2004 and 2014. The indication of greater decline in serum TFAs among those eating restaurant meals more frequently suggests that the municipal restriction on TFA use was effective in reducing TFA exposure. Public Health Implications. Local policies focused on restaurants can promote nutritional improvements.