The WHO is Calling for an End to Trans Fats by 2023
Geneva, May 15, 2018 – The World Health Organization (WHO) has just dropped a big hammer on the trans‑fat problem, insisting that the world could wipe these chemical culprits out of our diets by 2023. The plan aims to stop half a million heart‑breakers and deaths from cardiovascular disease each year.
Why Trans Fats Are So Bad
- Longevity in Food – Manufacturers love trans fats because they keep fried, baked and snack foods fresh for a long time.
- Health Risk – They spike heart‑disease risk by 21 % and add a staggering 28 % to deaths.
In a punchy statement, WHO Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus asked, “Why should our kids have such an unsafe ingredient in their foods?”
The Global Plan
The WHO’s strategy is simple: ditch trans fats, promote healthier alternatives, and enforce laws that ban the harmful stuff. The goal is to eliminate them from the food chain and deal a decisive blow to heart disease.
What The Rich Countries Are Already Doing
Top‑tier nations have already nailed it: limits on trans‑fat content in packaged foods and outright bans on partially hydrogenated oils, the primary source of industrial trans fats.
Industry Voices
“Trans‑fat is an unnecessary toxic chemical that kills, and there’s no reason people around the world should continue to be exposed,” warned Tom Frieden, former U.S. CDC head and current Resolve health initiative chief.
New Guidelines
Earlier this month, WHO released its first draft recommendations on trans fats since 2002: adults and children should keep trans‑fat consumption to no more than 1 % of their daily calories.
With the plan in motion, the global community has a sharp new target to aim at – a world free of trans fats and healthier for everyone.
