The Governator, also known as Arnold Schwarzenegger, has officially declared trans fat illegal in California.

That’s right, California has become the first state to ban trans fats use in restaurants. The question is, why? Why would California ban trans fat? Some people are not happy with this decision. They argue that the trans fat ban was unnecessary and that the government went too far in this case.

I disagree and here is why. Obesity rates in United States increased from 13 percent in 1960 to 33 percent in 2008. Researchers predict that by 2015, 75 percent of United States adults will be overweight and 41 percent will be obese.

I am not blaming this solely on trans fats, but research shows that people who consume them, gain weight – not to mention the fact that they also increase your chances of heart disease.

Trans fat does not offer any nutritional value and in my mind, it is simply a matter of food safety. We want the government to protect the food supply from salmonella, why not from trans fat?

The obesity epidemic has led to explosive increases in health care costs and the government is trying to do something about it. What is wrong with that? For example, a New York City ordinance now requires restaurants to post the calorie content of its entrees.

Oh, and a federal judge rejected claims by the New York State Restaurant Association that the requirement violates their free-speech rights.