24-Jan-2023: WHO Report on Global Trans Fat Elimination

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) has found;

• 5 billion people globally remain unprotected from harmful trans fats
• Consumption of trans fats responsible for up to 500,000 premature deaths from heart disease every year
• WHO called for the global elimination of industrially produced trans fats in 2018
• Elimination target set for 2023
• 43 countries have implemented best-practice policies for tackling trans-fat in food
• 2.8 billion people protected globally
• Many countries in America and Europe have phased the substance out with bans on partially hydrogenated oils
• No low-income countries have adopted such measures
• 9 of the 16 countries with the highest estimated proportion of coronary heart disease deaths caused by trans-fat intake do not have a best-practice policy
• Best-practices in trans-fat elimination policies follow specific criteria established by WHO and limit industrially produced trans-fat in all settings
• Two best-practice policy alternatives: mandatory national limit of 2 grams of industrially produced trans-fat per 100 grams of total fat in all foods; mandatory national ban on the production or use of partially hydrogenated oils as an ingredient in all foods.

What are Trans Fats?

• Trans fat or trans-fatty acids are unsaturated fatty acids
• Naturally-occurring trans-fat come from ruminants (cows and sheep)
• Industrially-produced trans-fat is formed in an industrial process that adds hydrogen to vegetable oil converting the liquid into a solid, resulting in “partially hydrogenated” oil (PHO)
• Trans fats have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity

Challenges in Eliminating Trans Fat:

• Trans fats are a cheap and easy way to stabilise and extend the shelf life of food products
• Many small and medium-sized food manufacturers may not have the resources or technical expertise to reformulate their products to remove trans fats
• Trans fats are often used in food service and restaurant settings, which can be harder to regulate than retail food products
• Changing consumer habits and taste preferences can be difficult
• Some countries or regions may have limited infrastructure and resources to monitor and enforce the ban of trans fats

Initiatives to Eliminate Trans Fat:

India

• Eat Right Movement
• Swachh Bharat Yatra
• Heart Attack Rewind
• The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) has stated that all food items should contain less than 2% of trans fat from Jan 2022

Global

• WHO released REPLACE, a step-by-step guide for the elimination of industrially-produced trans-fatty acids from the global food supply
• REPLACE provides six strategic actions for eliminating trans fats.
  1. Review dietary sources of industrially-produced trans fats and the landscape for required policy change.
  2. Promote the replacement of industrially-produced trans fats with healthier fats and oils.
  3. Legislate or enact regulatory actions to eliminate industrially-produced trans fats.
  4. Assess and monitor trans fats content in the food supply and changes in trans-fat consumption in the population.
  5. Create awareness of the negative health impact of trans fats among policymakers, producers, suppliers, and the public.
  6. Enforce compliance of policies and regulations.