WHO has published a new milestone report which summarizes progress over past 5 years towards global elimination of industrially produced trans-fatty acids (TFA), highlighting impacts on public health.
About TFA
- These are unsaturated fatty acids that come from either industrial or natural sources.
- Industrial trans-fats are made by adding hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid, and to increase shelf-life of foods.
- It can also be found naturally in meat and dairy foods from ruminant animals (e.g. cows, sheep, goats).
- WHO’s recommendation for adults is to limit consumption of trans fat to less than 1% of total energy intake.
Key Highlights of the report
- By late 2023, WHO's best-practice policies for trans-fat elimination were implemented in 53 nations, covering around 46% of the global population.
- In India, ~4.63% of Coronary Heart Disease deaths are attributable to TFA intake.
Key Recommendations
- Sub-regional bodies must pass mandatory TFA elimination policies that are directly binding on member states as they can facilitate trade and policy implementation.
- Beyond compliance with national policies, food manufacturers to voluntarily eliminate industrially produced TFA across their product portfolios.
Initiatives for Elimination of TFAGlobal
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