All in the name

Draft UN resolution on trans-fats elimination fails to distinguish industrial and natural sources, threatening nutrition in poorer nations

- By SHAGUN

IN MANY parts of the world, a glass of milk or a piece of meat can mean the difference between a child growing up healthy or undernourished. That is why a proposed UN resolution, though well-intentioned, could end up doing more harm than good.

This September, global leaders will adopt the Political Declaration on Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDS), a roadmap to address the growing burden of heart disease, diabetes, obesity and cancer. A draft resolution, released in May, is currently under review by member-states, with the final version expected later this year. The draft outlines a series of proposed actions related to alcohol, tobacco, processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, among other items. Most of the commitments have received broad support. However, buried within the 10-page document is a call for “eliminating trans-fatty acids” in processed food and beverages—a provision that raises concerns among agriculture and livestock experts, scientists and animal health officials in several countries.

The objective of this goal is to reduce unhealthy diets, overweight conditions and obesity. However, it does not highlight whether it targets just industrial trans-fatty acids (or trans-fats) or even naturally-occurring trans-fats found in animal-sourced products like milk, meat and cheese. The distinction is important because foods in the latter category are often the most reliable sources of essential nutrition, especially for vulnerable populations, and are not considered harmful.

Experts Down To Earth (DTE) spoke to warn that if the language is not revised or clarified, the impacts could be far-reaching and potentially harmful, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICS) where child stunting, malnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies are widespread.