Where in the world are risky trans fats? For years, food manufacturers and fast food restaurants used hydrogenated vegetable oils because they were shelf stable and low in cholesterol. At one time people thought trans fats were safer than butter or lard. After all, they are derived from vegetable oils, and consequently do not contain saturated fat or cholesterol.
Getting Rid of Risky Trans Fats Globally:
Over the last three decades, however, research has shown that such risky trans fats are bad for human health. They increase your chance of heart disease and premature death. As a result, the FDA acted in 2015 to remove all trans fats from processed foods in the US. Food manufacturers need to complete that task by next month, June 2018. Most are expected to meet that deadline.
WHO Strives to Eliminate Trans Fats Everywhere:
Many other countries, especially those in Europe, also have enacted policies to reduce the amount of risky trans fats in the food supply. However, many poorer parts of the world are still using these inexpensive manufactured fats. The World Health Organization is launching a campaign, called REPLACE, to eliminate hydrogenated vegetable oils everywhere by 2023.
According to WHO, more than half a million people worldwide die from cardiovascular disease caused by these risky trans fats. Vendors and manufacturers in South Asia and North Africa appreciate their low cost and long shelf life. Nonprofit organizations, including the Bloomberg Philanthropies and Resolve to Save Lives funded by the Gates Foundation, are working to get rid these fats.
Dr. Tom Frieden, president of Resolve to Save Lives, has declared:
“Trans fat is an unnecessary toxic chemical that kills and there’s no reason people around the world should continue to be exposed.”
Dr. Walter Willett, Frederick John Stare Professor of Nutrition and Epidemiology at the T. H. Chan School of Public Health of Harvard University, told Vox:
“The WHO statement is an important recognition that eliminating trans fat can substantially reduce risk of death and suffering at little or no cost.”
Getting people to give up a cheap ingredient in their favorite snacks may be quite a struggle. On the other hand, making the change will save countless lives.
