Countdown to 2023: who report on global trans-fat elimination 2022 released.

January 25, 2023

It is an annual status report published by World Health Organisation (WHO) in collaboration with Resolve to Save Lives.
It monitors global progress towards 2023 target for global elimination of industrially produced Trans-Fatty Acids (TFA).
Important findings
- 5 billion people globally are exposed to harmful trans-fat, increasing their heart disease and death risk.
- 9 of the 16 countries do not have a best-practice policy.
  - They are Australia, Azerbaijan, Bhutan, Ecuador, Egypt, Iran, Nepal, Pakistan and Republic of Korea.
- TFAs are unsaturated fatty acids that are of two types-
  - Naturally occurring trans-fat occurs naturally in some dairy and meat products.
  - Industrially produced trans-fat adds hydrogen to liquid vegetable oils to make them more solid. It is found in packaged foods, baked goods, cooking oils and spreads.
- Recommendations: Invest in monitoring and surveillance mechanisms; Develop and implement best-practice policies to set TFA limits, etc.
- Steps taken to regulate TFA
  - REPLACE strategy by WHO
  - FSSAI limit the content not more than 2% by mass of total oils and fats from January 2022.
  - FSSAI made mandatory for food manufacturers to declare TFA content on nutrition label.