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Sri Lanka Bans Trans Fat

Sri Lanka Bans Trans Fat

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.”

Nigeria Builds Momentum for a Trans Fat-Free Africa

Statement from Dr. Renu Garg, Senior Vice President of Cardiovascular Health at Resolve to Save Lives
10 May 2023 (NEW YORK, USA)—“We congratulate Nigeria on the passage of its new best practice trans fat elimination policy, which will save approximately 1,200 lives per year. As the most populous country in Africa, Nigeria has set a powerful example for other African nations that wish to protect the heart health of their people and reach for a trans fat-free Africa. 
“Not only would passing best practice policies help to reduce the burden of heart disease throughout Africa, but it would inhibit the dumping of unhealthy foods into Africa as the rest of the world passes policies to ban the toxic food additive. Already, nearly half of the world’s population is covered by trans fat free policies. 
“This regulation is the result of years of work and partnership between the Federal Ministry of Health; Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC); the Network for Health Equity and Development; Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa; Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI); and Resolve to Save Lives. We look forward to supporting the Ministry of Health and NAFDAC to implement the regulation and apply for the World Health Organization’s validation program which will recognize countries that have officially eliminated industrially produced trans fat from their food supply.” 

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