WHO Report on Global Trans Fat Elimination | 24 Jan 2023

Why in News?

A new report from the World Health Organization (WHO) has found that 5 billion people globally remain unprotected from harmful trans fats, increasing their risk of heart disease and death.

• WHO first called for the global elimination of industrially produced trans fats in 2018, with an elimination target set for 2023.

What are the Major Highlights of the Report?

• According to WHO, the consumption of trans fats, which can be found in packaged foods, baked goods, cooking oils and spreads, is responsible for up to half a million premature deaths from heart disease every year.
• 43 countries have now implemented best-practice policies for tackling trans-fat in food, with 2.8 billion people protected globally. Many countries in America and Europe have phased the substance out with bans on partially hydrogenated oils.
  • However, no low-income countries have yet adopted such measures.
• Currently, 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.
  • They are Australia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Ecuador, Egypt, Iran (Islamic Republic of), Nepal, Pakistan and Republic of Korea.
• Best-practices in trans-fat elimination policies follow specific criteria established by WHO and limit industrially produced trans-fat in all settings. There are 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?

• About:
  • Trans fat, or trans-fatty acids, are unsaturated fatty acids that come from either natural or industrial sources.
  • 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).

• Impacts:
  • Trans fats have been linked to an increased risk of heart disease, as they can raise bad cholesterol (LDL) levels in the blood and lower good cholesterol (HDL) levels.
  • They can also contribute to the development of other health conditions such as 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, which is why they are widely used by food manufacturers.
    • 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, as people have become accustomed to the taste and texture of foods that contain trans fats.
  • 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: Launched in 2018, the programme is built on two broad pillars of ‘Eat Healthy’ and ‘Eat Safe’.
    • Swachh Bharat Yatra: A Pan-India cyclothon, was launched under the movement to educate citizens on issues of food safety, combating food adulteration and healthy diets.
    • Heart Attack Rewind: It is a 30-second public service announcement which was broadcasted in 17 languages on social media platforms.
      • The objective of the campaign was to warn citizens about the health hazards of consuming trans fats and offer strategies to avoid them through healthier alternatives.
    • 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 to ensure the prompt, complete, and sustained elimination of industrially-produced trans fats from the food supply:
        • REview dietary sources of industrially-produced trans fats and the landscape for required policy change.
        • Promote the replacement of industrially-produced trans fats with healthier fats and oils.
        • Legislate or enact regulatory actions to eliminate industrially-produced trans fats.
        • Assess and monitor trans fats content in the food supply and changes in trans-fat consumption in the population.
        • Create awareness of the negative health impact of trans fats among policymakers, producers, suppliers, and the public.
        • Enforce compliance of policies and regulations.

Way Forward

• Education and Awareness: Raising awareness among the public and food industry about the dangers of trans fats and the importance of reducing their consumption can help encourage change.
• Monitoring and Enforcement: Governments can establish monitoring and enforcement systems to ensure that food manufacturers are in compliance with regulations and labelling requirements.
• Research and Development: Investing in research and development of new technologies and ingredients that can replace trans fats in food products.

Source: WHO