Trans fat produced industrially is responsible for up to 500,000 premature deaths from coronary heart disease, according to World Health Organization data, reports UN News. The WHO recently released a status report following up on its 2018 call for the fat to be eliminated from all foods by 2023.
The report measures the world’s progress toward the 2023 target for the elimination of this type of trans-fatty acid. Since the first call, 43 countries have implemented policies to protect its population from the chemical.
“Trans fat has no known benefit, and huge health risks that incur huge costs for health systems,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, in a statement. “By contrast, eliminating trans fat is cost effective and has enormous benefits for health. Put simply, trans fat is a toxic chemical that kills, and should have no place in food. It’s time to get rid of it once and for all.”
Nine countries with some of the highest proportion of coronary heart disease-related deaths do not have a best-practice policy for limiting trans fat intake. They are as follows: Australia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Ecuador, Egypt, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan, and the Republic of Korea.
The WHO recommends that countries focus on best-practice policy adoption as well as seeking out healthy oil replacements. Major suppliers of oil globally have also been encouraged to remove the chemical from their products.
While most rich nations have already implemented policies, including in the U.S. and Europe, middle-income countries are initiating strategies this year to limit trans fat creation.
“Every government can stop these preventable deaths by passing a best-practice policy now. The days of trans fat killing people are numbered—but governments must act to end this preventable tragedy,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, president and CEO of Resolve to Save Live, a non-profit organization supporting the elimination of trans fat. Full Story
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