Statement from Dr. Renu Garg, Senior Vice President of Cardiovascular Health at Resolve to Save Lives
26 May 2023 (NEW YORK, USA)—“By passing a best-practice policy banning industrially produced trans fat from its food supply, Sri Lanka joins neighbors India and Bangladesh and 51 other countries in the global World Health Organization REPLACE Initiative to eliminate this toxic food additive worldwide. Sri Lanka’s timely actions bring the total number of people protected from trans fat to 3.6 billion, or 47% of the global population. This will save an estimated 50,000 lives in Sri Lanka between now and 2047—approximately 2,200 lives per year. We congratulate Sri Lanka on its commitment to the health of their people and encourage other high-burden countries in the region, such as Indonesia and Nepal, to join Sri Lanka in the global effort to eliminate trans fat from the world’s food supply by the end of 2023.”