WHO: Global elimination of trans fats would be ‘major victory’

WHO has released REPLACE, a guide that provides steps for eliminating of industrially-produced trans-fatty acids from the world’s food supply, according to a press release.

“WHO calls on governments to use the REPLACE action package to eliminate industrially-produced trans-fatty acids from the food supply,” Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, PhD, WHO Director-General, said in a press release. “Implementing the six strategic actions in the REPLACE package will help achieve the elimination of trans fat, and represent a major victory in the global fight against cardiovascular disease.”

“Trans fat is an unnecessary toxic chemical that kills, and there’s no reason people around the world should continue to be exposed,” Tom Frieden, MD, MPH, former CDC director and current president and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, said in the release.

According to the release, the initiative has six components:

RE – Review dietary sources of industrially-produced trans fats and the landscape for required policy change;
P – Promote replacing industrially-produced trans fats with healthier oils and fats;
L – Legislate or enact regulatory actions to eliminate industrially-produced trans fats;
A – Assess and watch trans fats content in the food supply and changes in trans fat intake among people;
C – Create awareness of the negative health impact of trans fats among the public, suppliers, producers and policy makers; and
E – Enforce compliance of policies and regulations.

“Several high-income countries have virtually eliminated industrially-produced trans fats through legally imposed limits on the amount that can be contained in packaged food. Some governments have implemented nationwide bans on partially hydrogenated oils, the main source of industrially-produced trans fats,” the release stated. “Action is needed in low- and middle-income countries, where controls of use of industrially-produced trans fats are often weaker, to ensure that the benefits are felt equally around the world.”

REPLACE will be discussed at WHO’s 71st World Health Assembly, taking place in Geneva later this month.

Trans fat intake leads to more than 500,000 deaths annually, according to WHO.

Disclosure: Healio Family Medicine was unable to determine relevant financial disclosures prior to publication.