The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling on more countries to take a stand against trans fat in their food regulations. In 2018, the WHO set a goal to eliminate industrially produced fatty acids in foods worldwide by 2023 due to evidence linking trans fat consumption to 500,000 premature deaths annually. However, the target was not met and has been pushed back to 2025.
Currently, 53 countries are implementing policies to limit trans fat, covering approximately 46 percent of the global population. This marks a significant increase from 2018, when only 11 countries and six percent of the population had such regulations in place. These best practices are estimated to save approximately 183,000 lives each year.
Trans fat offers no known health benefits but poses significant risks to public health. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlights the importance of countries implementing policies to ban or limit trans fat in food products. Ghebreyesus also emphasizes the need for further dialogue with the food industry.
Trans fat is found in a variety of packaged foods, baked goods, cooking oils, and spreads like margarine. Food producers utilize trans fat for its longer shelf life and lower cost compared to alternatives. Best practices to eliminate trans fat include a mandatory limit of two grammes of industrially produced trans fat per 100 grammes of total fat in all food items, or a complete ban on the production or use of partially hydrogenated oils, a major source of trans fat.
To recognize progress in eliminating industrially produced trans fatty acids, the WHO presented its inaugural certificates to Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand. These countries have not only implemented best practices but have also established rigorous monitoring and enforcement mechanisms. Certified countries must provide updated data every three years to maintain their status.
It is vital for countries around the world to prioritize the elimination of trans fat in food policies. By doing so, they can protect public health and contribute to saving hundreds of thousands of lives annually. The WHO’s call for greater action will hopefully encourage more countries to follow suit in implementing regulations that limit or ban trans fat in food products.
