‘Trans fat intake: WHO warning to India’

Published: 21st Sep, 2020

Trans fats, or trans-fatty acids, are a form of unsaturated fat.

Context

What are trans fats?

Trans fats, or trans-fatty acids, are a form of unsaturated fat.
They come in both natural and artificial forms.
Natural, or ruminant, trans fats occur in the meat and dairy from ruminant animals, such as cattle, sheep, and goats. They form naturally when bacteria in these animals’ stomachs digest grass.

The Report

Fifteen countries, including India, account for approximately two-thirds of the worldwide deaths linked to trans-fat intake.
Of these, four countries -- Canada, Latvia, Slovenia, United States of America -- have implemented WHO-recommended best-practice policies since 2017, either by setting mandatory limits for industrially produced trans fats to 2% of oils and fats in all foods or banning partially hydrogenated oils (PHO).
But the remaining 11 countries- Azerbaijan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Iran, Mexico, Nepal, Pakistan, Republic of Korea, still need to take urgent action.

WHO Recommendations:

WHO recommends that trans fat intake be limited to less than 1% of total energy intake, which translates to less than 2.2 g/day with a 2,000-calorie diet.
To achieve a world free of industrially produced trans fats by 2023, WHO recommends that countries:
- develop and implement best-practice policies to set mandatory limits for industrially produced trans fats to 2% of oils and fats in all foods or to ban partially hydrogenated oils (PHO);
- invest in monitoring mechanisms, e.g. lab capacity to measure and monitor trans fats in foods; and
- advocate for regional or sub-regional regulations to expand the benefits of trans fat policies.

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