Excellencies, colleagues and friends,
I would like to thank Dr Tom Frieden, the head of Resolve to Save Lives, Dr Bekir Keskinkilic
From Turkey and Dr Eduardo Nilson from Brazil, for participating in today’s important event.
I’d also like to thank Dr Francesco Branca, Director of our Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, and Dr Chizuru Nishida, the Unit Head for Safe, Healthy and Sustainable Diet, and all of their colleagues for their work on this critical report.
My friends, while we are living in fraught times facing the new threat of the COVID-19 pandemic, our old threats have not gone away.
As they have been for many years, noncommunicable diseases are the world’s leading cause of death.
Many of these deaths are in people under 70 years of age, and most occur in low- and middle-income countries.
COVID-19 makes preventing and managing NCDs especially important. People living with NCDs, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke and cancer, are particularly vulnerable to becoming severely ill with the virus.
More than two-thirds of the 60 million deaths around the world per year are due to NCDs. Nearly half of those are from cardiovascular diseases.
This is an unnecessary tragedy. NCDs can be prevented by adopting a healthy diet, being physically active and eliminating tobacco use and abuse of alcohol.
Industrially produced trans fat causes heart disease and death, and yet it is still used in many countries in fried and baked foods and in spreads.
These trans fats can be replaced with healthier fats and oils without changing the taste or cost of food.
Elimination of industrially produced trans fat from food is a priority for WHO.
Why? For three reasons
First, it will save lives.
Second, it is feasible. Yes, some industries will need to adapt, but other industries will gain a new market. And there is almost no cost for governments and consumers, but with a huge bonus in lowered health care costs.
Third, it will reduce the burden on health care facilities, at a time when COVID-19 is already taking a huge toll.
WHO launched the REPLACE action framework in 2018, followed up the next year with detailed operational guidance and the first progress report, to inspire and help governments eliminate trans fat from their nation’s food supply.
Just as WHO has led the global eradication of smallpox and polio, we are leading a global movement to rid the world of trans fat by 2023.
Best practice policies are now in effect for almost 600 million people around the world.
In addition to launching the second progress report today, I am delighted to announce WHO’s plan to certify and recognize countries and their leadership for eliminating industrially produced trans fat from their food supplies.
I’d now like to hand the virtual podium over to Dr Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies, who has partnered with us on this global effort.
I thank you.