During the past 17 years, there has been a tremendous interest in the nutritional characteristics of trans fatty acids (TFAs). There are two primary reasons for this activity.

Osteoporosis is characterized as the progressive loss of bone mass and bone tissue deterioration, leading to skeletal weakness and an increased risk for bone fractures. Approximately 10 million U.S. adults aged 50 years and older suffer from osteoporosis while another 33 – 34 million have low bone mass and are at high risk for the disease.

The nation's epidemic of overweight, undernourished and sedentary youth is leading to interventions in schools nationwide to help develop healthy lifestyle behaviors.