World Health Organization (WHO) on Monday launched “Replace” – a plan to completely eliminate industrially-produced artificial trans fats from the global food. The 2023 year is set to achieve this target. WHO called all concerned officials of all countries to use “REPLACE” action plan. The plan is used to save health of people worldwide from cardiovascular diseases caused due to excessive use of trans fats.
This is the first time officials from WHO have asked nations to completely banish a substance used in food items. Here point to be noted that Denmark has already eliminated trans fats uses in food. With this Denmark became first country in world to take such step in 2004. Since then taking inspiration from Denmark, countries across Europe and North America, including the US have also followed same plan.
Eating trans fats is associated with the risk of coronary heart disease and heart attack. According to global health body estimates, trans fat caused cardiovascular diseases are directly or indirectly responsible for more than five lakhs deaths worldwide.
Chronic diseases mainly heart disease and diabetes, are one of the most life causing diseases in world caused by trans fats. These are among fast and silent killing disease spread in all countries of world. If the REPLACE plan gets successful, it will be able to save more than 10 million lives worldwide.
What are Trans fats in foods?
Trans fats are unsaturated fats that are produced by nature in very small amount. But industries in world are producing Trans fats at a very large scale from vegetables. Since 1950s, trans-unsaturated fatty acids are widely used in margarine, snack food, packaged baked goods, and frying fast food. These are in take by people across world in huge amount in the form of various food products. Thus it is responsible for causing coronary diseases and deaths.
