Project Area: Trans Fat Elimination

Five billion people unprotected from trans fat, leading to heart disease and deaths

The latest progress report on the World Health Organization’s REPLACE initiative to eliminate trans fat found that 43 countries have now implemented best-practice policies for tackling trans fat in food, with 2.8 billion people protected globally—a nearly six-fold increase in population coverage since WHO launched REPLACE in 2018. Despite this progress, this still leaves 5 […]

Five billion people unprotected from trans fat leading to heart disease

GENEVA, 23 January 2023 — Five billion people globally remain unprotected from harmful trans fat, a new status report from the World Health Organization (WHO) has found, increasing their risk of heart disease and death. Since WHO first called for the global elimination of industrially produced trans fat in 2018 — with an elimination target […]

New Global Nutrition Database for Packaged Foods

Our new Global Nutrition Database for Packaged Foods makes data on sodium, sugar and saturated fat content in packaged foods from around the world available in one central location. The database – which currently hosts packaged food nutrient data for 25 countries – allows policymakers, advocates, and nutrition experts to compare average nutrient content for […]

Implementing and Enforcing Trans Fat Elimination Policies

We released a series of case studies documenting experiences from around the world with the implementation and enforcement of trans fat regulations. Enforcement and monitoring of trans fats in foods can be done in a variety of contexts; all countries can adopt and enforce these standards. At the World Health Summit, our president and CEO […]

India is on the way to gaining independence from its biggest killer, cardiovascular disease

For the Economic Times, our President and CEO, Dr. Tom Frieden, wrote about India’s impressive achievements in improving heart health. The country has been a leader in trans fat elimination and has made important commitments to reducing salt intake and improving control of high blood pressure. Read the full piece here: https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/i…

Op-Ed: Stopping a Pandemic Deadlier Than Covid

Every year, cardiovascular disease kills twice as many people, at a younger average age, as Covid has at its worst, and since 2020, there’s been a surge in fatalities from heart disease and stroke in the U.S.

Video – There’s a silent killer in your food

Artificial trans fats have no known health benefits and cause hundreds of thousands of deaths each year. Resolve to Save Lives partnered with the NCD Alliance to produce a video on the dangers of trans fats and what we need to do to eliminate them from the global food supply.

​LINKS Community launches Public Funds for Healthy Foods Campaign

The LINKS Community kicked off a “Public Funds for Healthy Foods” campaign to encourage advocacy for health public food procurement policies that include limits on sodium and trans fats. Read more on what you can do to promote healthy public food procurement policies in your community.

Grants awarded to three organizations championing trans fat elimination advocacy

Resolve to Save Lives awarded grants to Advocacy Center ‘LIFE’, Nepal Heart Foundation, and Village Health Action for trans fat elimination advocacy projects in Ukraine, Nepal and Burundi. The new grantees will support life-saving policies by collaborating with ministries of health, offering technical guidance, and leading public awareness campaigns.

Philippines issues administrative order to eliminate industrially produced trans fats

On July 20, best practice regulations eliminating trans fat went into effect in the Philippines. Our president and CEO Dr. Tom Frieden released a statement on growing global momentum for trans fat elimination and how this important policy step will save money, promote health equity and build regulatory systems that can improve food safety.

Statement from Dr. Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, an initiative of Vital Strategies, on the Philippines Department of Health’s new administrative order to eliminate industrially produced trans fats:

“Today, the Philippines adopted a best-practice policy to eliminate industrially produced trans fat from its food supply—becoming the 45th country to take this life-saving action. We applaud the Philippines Department of Health for this bold commitment that will protect more than 108 million people from trans fat, a dangerous chemical food additive that increases the risk of heart attack and death.

Third round of LINKS grants awarded to 9 winners

We  announced nine recipients of LINKS third round of grant funding. Over $1.1 million was awarded to projects in eight countries that will expand care for high blood pressure and support trans fat elimination and sodium reduction policies.

​Request for Proposals Open – Trans Fat Advocacy Mini Grants

We announced our request for proposals for advocacy activities to accelerate best-practice trans fat elimination policies, including engagement with policy makers and influencers. Proposals are due May 20th. Download the complete Request for Proposals here.

​Statement from Dr. Tom Frieden on Global Trans Fat Elimination Progress

On April 1, regulations banning artificial trans fat in food products went into effect in the European Union, bringing the global number of people protected by best practice trans fat elimination policies to 2.9 billion. Our President and CEO Dr. Tom Frieden released a statement on the growing momentum for eliminating artificial trans fats and […]

Food Fight: Fighting for Healthier Food is a Life-or-Death Struggle

Poor quality nutrition kills more than 10 million people every year. Governments need to make improving nutrition quality a public health priority by focusing on four changes: 1) Eliminating artificial trans fat, 2) Reducing sodium intake, 3) Increasing potassium intake, and 4) Limiting added sugar. Read more from our Resolve to Save Lives team.