You know the artery-clogging, trans fat issue is heating up when a major fast food chain like KFC  says it will switching to soybean oils by April, thereby eliminating trans fat from the stuff they sell.

KFC’s move comes in the wake of Wendy’s yanking trans fat out of its french fries and Walt Disney agreeing to remove trans fat from food sold in its theme parks.

But, McDonald’s, the 800-pound gorilla (and, how appropriate that phrase is in this instance) of the fast food sector, is sitting tight. While a spokesperson says Mickey D’s is "researching and testing alternatives," patrons continue to belly up to the counter and order super sized food portions loaded with trans fat oils.

Unless it’s weighed down by ingesting its own product, McDonald’s should be a little faster on its feet. As the industry icon, it should be leading the debate and setting an example with swift, decisive action.

Ted "Ludacris" Birkhahn, my podcast partner, and I recently discussed the obesity epidemic in America and agree that "frequency" is the real issue with fast food. Too many people visit fast food chains too many times in the average week. As a result, they’re loading up on empty calories and bulging in all the wrong places. If more fast food chains don’t follow KFC’s example soon, waistlines won’t be the only thing bursting at the seams. Our nation’s hospitals will be overloaded with supersized, artery-clogged fast food patrons who’ve stuffed one too many burgers or french fries down their throats. C’mon McDonald’s’, let’s make trans fat a "to go"…permanently.

Thanks to Moon Kim for sending me the KFC story.