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PESHAWAR, Dec 24 (APP):Civil society organizations have urged the government to take urgent action to eliminate industrially produced trans fatty acids (iTFAs) from the country’s all food supply chains to protect public health.
The call was made during a media session organized by the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) and Pakistan Youth Change Advocates at a local hotel in Peshawar.
The session highlighted the severe public health and economic risks posed by iTFAs, which are primarily found in partially hydrogenated oils (PHOs) used in processed foods.
Shahzad Iqbal, Project Manager at CPDI, stressed that cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and strokes are major contributors to the country’s high mortality rate. He warned that any delay in adopting a strong policy to eliminate iTFAs would result in more preventable deaths.
“Pakistan is one of the top consumers of iTFAs in the region, largely due to the absence of a comprehensive policy,” Iqbal said.
Experts at the event emphasized that limiting iTFAs to no more than 2% of total fats in the diet and imposing a ban on PHOs could be a key step in addressing the issue. Munawar Hussain, Country Lead for Pakistan at Global Health Advocacy Incubator, advocated for these measures, calling them an effective approach to reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases.
Nutrition expert Mahnoor Sajid from CPDI pointed out that many products claiming to be free of trans fats and PHOs still contain harmful levels of these substances. “There is an urgent need for advocacy to ensure a PHO-free Pakistan,” Sajid stated.
The session also featured a discussion on Pakistan’s alarming health statistics, highlighting the rising rates of diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Journalists and civil society representatives at the event voiced their concerns and called for immediate government intervention.
They urged the government to declare a public health emergency and introduce policies such as front-of-pack nutrition labeling, warning signs on ultra-processed foods, and the removal of unhealthy foods from public institutions.