The World Health Organization (WHO) officially recognised four countries — Austria, Norway, Oman and Singapore — for eliminating industrially produced trans fats from their national food supplies at the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland.
About Trans Fat
- Trans fat, or trans-fatty acids (TFA), are unsaturated fatty acids.
- Sources:
- Natural: Meat and dairy foods from ruminant animals such as sheep, goat, cows.
- Industrial: Margarine, baked goods, vanaspati ghee, fried foods.
- Both industrially produced and naturally occurring trans fat are equally harmful.
- World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendation for Adults: To limit consumption of trans fat to less than 1% of total energy intake, which is less than 2.2 g per day for a 2000-calorie diet.
Types of Healthy Dietary Fats
- The main types of “healthy” fats are: monounsaturated (single double bond), polyunsaturated (more than one double bond), alpha-linolenic acid (an omega-3 fatty acid) and linoleic acid (an omega-6 fatty acid).
|
Health Impact Of Trans Fat
- Increased Heart Disease Risk: Trans fats raise LDL (bad) cholesterol and lower HDL (good) cholesterol, significantly increasing the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke.
- Over 278,000 deaths annually globally and is a major contributor to cardiovascular diseases
- Inflammation: They trigger inflammation and may worsen insulin resistance, contributing to conditions like type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
- Obesity: Trans fats can lead to unhealthy fat distribution and abdominal obesity, even without excess calorie intake.
- Brain Health: Studies link high trans fat consumption with poorer memory, cognitive decline, and increased risk of depression.
Targets vs Current Status
- WHO Targets for 2025: 90% of the global trans fat burden should be covered by best-practice policies. At least 70% coverage within each WHO region
- Current Status (as of May 2025): Only 60 countries have adopted best-practice trans fat elimination policies. These policies cover just 46% of the global population.
|
Reasons For the Increased Use of Trans Fat
- Cost-Effective: Cheaper than healthier fats
- Desirable Properties: Solid at room temperature, making them ideal for processed foods
- Versatile Usage: Commonly used in baked, fried, and packaged products
About Saturated Fats
- Saturated fats have no double bonds and are solid at room temperature with a high melting point.
- Found in foods like red meat, butter, cheese and coconut oil, they are chemically stable with a long shelf life.
- Guidelines: Most health bodies recommend limiting saturated fats to less than 10% of daily calories and replacing them with unsaturated fats.
|
Steps Taken by India to Eliminate Trans Fat
- Regulatory Limit on Trans Fat: Since January 2022, India enforces a mandatory limit of 2% industrially produced trans fats in oils and fats.
- Implemented under the Food Safety and Standards (Prohibition and Restrictions on Sales) Second Amendment Regulations, 2021.
- It became the second country in Asia, after Thailand, to implement comprehensive measures to restrict industrial trans fats.
- “Heart Attack Rewind” Campaign: It is a campaign of Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) that warns about the health hazards of consuming trans-fat.
Best Practices And Strategy Recommended By WHO:
- National Limit: Mandatory national limit of 2 grams of industrially produced trans fat per 100 grams of total fat in all foods.
- Ban: Mandatory national ban on the production or use of partially hydrogenated oils (a major source of trans fat) as an ingredient in all foods.
- REPLACE Campaign Of WHO: The REPLACE action package provides a strategic approach to eliminating industrially-produced trans fat from national food supplies. The six areas of action include:
- REview dietary sources of industrially-produced trans fat and the landscape for required policy change.
- Promote the replacement of industrially-produced trans fat with healthier fats and oils.
- Legislate or enact regulatory actions to eliminate industrially-produced trans fat.
- Assess and monitor trans fat content in the food supply and changes in trans fat 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.
|
To get PDF version, Please click on "Print PDF" button.
PWOnlyIAS
