WHO Calls for Action to Eliminate Trans-Fat across Globe

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published REPLACE, a step-by-step guide to getting rid of trans-fatty acids that are made in factories from food.

Trans fats must be eliminated in order to preserve health and save lives, and the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that trans-fat consumption is responsible for more than 500,000 cardiovascular disease deaths annually.

Hardened vegetable fats like margarine and ghee are rich sources of industrially produced trans fats, which are frequently found in baked, fried, and snack foods. They are frequently utilized by manufacturers due to their longer shelf life than other fats. However, healthier alternatives can be used without sacrificing taste or cost.

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, said that WHO calls on governments to use the REPLACE action package to eliminate industrially produced trans-fatty acids from the food supply. Dr. Tedros Adhanom went on to say that putting into action the six strategic steps in the REPLACE package will help get rid of trans fat and be a big win for the global fight against cardiovascular disease.

Through legally imposed limits on the amount that can be contained in packaged food, several high-income countries have virtually eliminated trans fats that are produced in factories. The primary source of industrially produced trans fats, partially hydrogenated oils, has been outlawed nationwide by some governments.

As the first nation in the OECD to impose restrictions on industrially produced trans fats, Denmark saw a rapid decline in cardiovascular disease deaths and a significant drop in the amount of trans fat found in food products.