Countdown to 2023: WHO report on global trans-fat elimination 2022

Overview

This fourth annual report monitors global progress towards the 2023 target for global elimination of industrially produced trans-fatty acids (TFA), highlighting achievements during the past year (October 2021 – September 2022). Countries are responding to the World Health Organization (WHO) call to action by putting into place best-practice TFA policies. Mandatory TFA policies are currently in effect for 3.4 billion people in 60 countries (43% of the world population); of these, 43 countries have best-practice policies in effect, covering 2.8 billion people (36% of the world population).

Over the past year, several additional countries took action to eliminate industrially produced TFA: best-practice policies came into effect in India in January 2022, Uruguay in May 2022 and Oman in July 2022. Best-practice policies were passed in Bangladesh in November 2021 (to come into effect in December 2022) and in Ukraine in September 2020 (to come into effect in October 2023), best-practice TFA policies are projected to pass soon in Mexico, Nigeria and Sri Lanka.

The report:

• describes the current global, regional and national situations, and changes during the past year (October 2021 – September 2022);
• tracks progress of key policy outcomes and milestones;
• discusses challenges and opportunities for future action;
• highlights enablers and barriers to TFA elimination at the country level; and
• recommends strategic priorities for the next 12 months to achieve the 2023 target.

The report also highlights countries in each WHO region that have made significant policy advances in the past year.