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Review
. 2024 Aug 13;84(7):663-674.
doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2024.04.067.

Ending Trans Fat-The First-Ever Global Elimination Program for a Noncommunicable Disease Risk Factor: JACC International

Lindsay Steele  1 , Elizabeth Drummond  2 , Chizuru Nishida  3 , Rain Yamamoto  3 , Francesco Branca  3 , Cristina Parsons Perez  4 , Lorena Allemandi  4 , Liz Arnanz  4 , Veronica Schoj  5 , Hema S Khanchandani  5 , Swati Bhardwaj  2 , Renu Garg  2 , Thomas R Frieden  2 , Laura K Cobb  2
Affiliations
Review

Ending Trans Fat-The First-Ever Global Elimination Program for a Noncommunicable Disease Risk Factor: JACC International

Lindsay Steele et al. J Am Coll Cardiol. .

Abstract

Industrially produced trans fat (iTFA) is a harmful compound created as a substitute for animal and saturated fats. Estimated to cause up to 500,000 deaths per year, it is replaceable. In 2018, Resolve to Save Lives, the World Health Organization (WHO), Global Health Advocacy Incubator, and NCD Alliance partnered to achieve global trans fat elimination. The WHO Director-General called for the elimination of trans fat by 2023 through best practice policies outlined in the WHO REPLACE package. Since the accelerated global efforts in 2018, 43 countries have adopted best practice regulations protecting an additional 3.2 billion people and building momentum toward global elimination. Current coverage will prevent 66% of deaths estimated to be caused each year by trans fat in foods. Despite producing and selling iTFA-free products in many countries, companies continue to sell iTFA-containing products in unregulated markets. Global incentives, accountability mechanisms, and regional policies will help achieve the elimination goal.

Keywords: REPLACE; industrial trans fats; noncommunicable diseases; partially hydrogenated oils; trans fats.

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Conflict of interest statement

Funding Support and Author Disclosures Funders include Bloomberg Philanthropies, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, Founders Pledge, and Lyda Hill Philanthropies. The authors have reported that they have no relationships relevant to the contents of this paper to disclose.

Figures

Central Illustration
Central Illustration
The Global Industrially Produced Trans Fat Elimination Framework The global industrially produced trans fat (iTFA) elimination framework, based on the Bloomberg Global Tobacco Control Initiative, was used by the global partnership as a way of structuring the approach to iTFA elimination.
Figure 1
Figure 1
REPLACE Package Modules This figure lists the modules and content for each of the 6 REPLACE Package modules developed to support elimination of industrially produced trans fat (iTFA).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Map of Country TFA Policy Implementation Using the WHO TFA Policy Scorecard, December 2023 Global TFA Country Scorecard. This scorecard reports on country trans fat (TFA) policy status. Source: World Health Organization (WHO). The map is based on the data available in the Global database on the Implementation of Food and Nutrition Action, and regularly updated.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Adoption of Best Practice TFA Policies and Population Coverage Shown is the cumulative growth in countries adopting best practice trans fat (TFA) elimination policies, and corresponding population coverage between 2001 and 2024. The figure highlights the launch of the global industrially produced TFA Partnership and REPLACE in 2018.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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