WHO launches REPLACE campaign to eliminate trans-fat in foods by 2023

World Health Organization (WHO) has launched comprehensive plan “REPLACE” to eliminate industrially-produced artificial trans-fats from global food supply by 2023. The elimination of trans-fats is key to protecting health and saving lives. REPLACE is abbreviated in six strategic actions as Review, Promote, Legislate, Assess, Create awareness and Enforce.

Key Facts

The campaign provides step-by-step guide in six strategic actions of ‘REPLACE’ package to ensure prompt, complete, and sustained elimination of industrially-produced trans-fats from global food supply. Implementing six strategic actions will help achieve elimination of trans-fat and represent major victory in the global fight against cardiovascular diseases.

Six areas of action include:

Review dietary sources of industrially produced transfats and landscape for required policy change.
Promote replacement of industrially produced transfats with healtier fats and oils.
Legislate or enact regulatory actions to eliminate industrially produced transfat.
Assess and monitor trans-fat content in the food supply and changes in transfat consumption in the population…
Create awareness of the negative health impact of trans-fat among policy makers, producers, suppliers and the public.
Enforce compliance with policies and regulations.

Background

Industrially-produced trans-fats are contained in hardened vegetable fats such as margarine and ghee, and are often present in snack, baked, and fried foods. Manufacturers often use them as they have longer shelf life than other fats. Increased intake of trans fat (>1% of total energy intake) is associated with increased risk of coronary heart disease mortality and events as trans-fats clog arteries, increasing the risk of heart attacks. WHO estimates that every year, trans fat intake leads to over 5,00,000 deaths worldwide from cardiovascular diseases. Denmark was first country to mandate restrictions on industrially-produced trans fats.

Month: Current Affairs - May, 2018