Public health versus food security? Experts call for balanced UN trans-fat policy

A proposed UN declaration looking to eliminate trans-fatty acids (TFAs) from global diets is raising concerns among leading nutrition scientists regarding the unintended impact on food security and health in low- and middle-income countries. 

While the draft resolution seeks to reduce non-communicable diseases (NCDs) by cutting trans-fat intake, experts caution that it could inadvertently discourage the consumption of nutrient-rich animal-source foods — especially milk and meat — that contain naturally occurring trans-fats in negligible amounts.

Over 115 nutritionists, food scientists, and public health advocates from Africa, Europe, and the Americas have signed an open letter to UN negotiators, urging a more nuanced approach.

The letter warns that a blanket commitment to eliminate all trans-fats could deepen nutrition insecurity in regions already grappling with high rates of hunger and child stunting. It is coordinated by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and backed by the African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources.

“A single glass of milk is among the most affordable, nutrient-rich foods available,” said Namukolo Covic, ILRI’s Director General’s Representative to Ethiopia. “Milk has been shown to reduce stunting in children and lessen the burden of hunger.”

A nutritional trade-off?

The experts point out that, unlike industrial trans-fats, which are formed during hydrogenation in processed foods like margarine, snack items, and baked goods, natural trans-fats occur in small amounts in ruminant animal products.

The letter also suggests these naturally occurring TFAs not only pose no harm at low levels but may offer protective benefits, including a potential role in reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

It also attests that animal-source foods are vital in regions with widespread micronutrient deficiencies and limited diet diversity, as they provide highly bioavailable forms of essential nutrients such as vitamins A and B12, riboflavin, calcium, zinc, and iodine — nutrients that are critical during the first 1,000 days of life.

“Industrially-produced trans-fatty acids come from food processing, a sector that is still in its infancy in many African countries,” Covic adds. “These countries have the opportunity to create a new food future as their food systems transform toward eliminating industrially derived trans-fat.”

Balancing policy and global health

The letter underscores the need to tackle diet-related NCDs like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. However, the experts argue that the public health strategy must avoid “undermining” food and nutrition security in parts of the world where undernutrition is still prevalent.

In 2023, one in five Africans faced hunger, and around one-third of children under five were stunted due to chronic undernutrition. In some of the poorest regions, annual per capita milk consumption is less than 1kg — a stark indicator of the nutritional gap.

“The contribution of animal-source foods to trans-fatty acids is very low compared to industrially derived trans-fats and should be weighed against their contributions to nutrient density,” explains Ruth Oniang’o, a professor in food science and nutrition and Editor-in-Chief of the African Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development.

“For people in low-income settings, animal-source foods are often the only reliable and available source of essential nutrients. We need a nuanced approach supported by sustainability solutions.”

A call for science-based policies

The final draft of the resolution will be presented for endorsement at the UN General Assembly in September, with a preparatory meeting of member states scheduled in New York from July 14 to 23.

As the world considers how best to meet Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing) while meeting SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), the debate around trans-fat elimination underscores a broader challenge — the need to craft global nutrition policies that prioritize both disease prevention and nutrient adequacy.

“UN negotiators must ensure this resolution recognises the distinction between the large amounts of trans-fats of industrial origin and the low levels naturally occurring in animal-source foods,” Oniang’o concludes.

As global health systems strive to tackle NCDs, some in the nutrition community are emphasizing that policies must not lose sight of the foundational role that animal-source foods play in global nutrition and consider those already experiencing or vulnerable to malnutrition.