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WHO Scientific Update on health consequences of trans fatty acids: introduction

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 63, pages S1–S4 (2009)Cite this article

The role of dietary fats and oils in human nutrition is one of the most complex and controversial areas of investigations in nutrition science. The first expert consultation that focused on the topic of fats was the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on the Role of Dietary Fats and Oils in Human Nutrition held in Rome from 21 to 30 September 1977 (FAO, 1978). This consultation synthesized the state of knowledge of dietary fats and oils in human nutrition, including nutritional value and both the positive and negative physiological effects of different types of fats. Then the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Consultation on Fats and Oils in Human Nutrition was held in Rome from 19 to 26 October 1993 to consider the latest scientific evidence on many crucial and varied roles dietary fats and oils have in human nutrition and examine the intakes of different types and levels of dietary fats and oils and their associated health effects (FAO, 1994).

The Joint WHO/FAO Expert Consultation on Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Disease held at Geneva from 28 January to 1 February 2002 (WHO, 2003; Nishida and Shetty, 2004) recognized that the growing epidemic of chronic disease afflicting both developed and developing countries was related to dietary and lifestyle changes, including changing consumption patterns of different types of fats and oils. During the past decade, rapid expansion in a number of relevant scientific fields and in the amount of population-based epidemiological evidence has helped to clarify the role of diet in preventing and controlling the morbidity and premature mortality resulting from various noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). One of the resulting recommendations aimed at reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and in promoting cardiovascular health was that diets should provide a very low intake of trans fatty acids (TFA), that is, less than 1% of total energy intake. The outcomes and recommendations of this Expert Consultation then provided the scientific basis for the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health (DPAS) endorsed by the 57th World Health Assembly in May 2004 (WHO, 2004).

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Acknowledgements

Deep appreciations are expressed to the authors of the scientific review papers and the peer reviewers of those papers for their valuable contributions. Special acknowledgement is made to Mr Denis Aitken, who was acting for the Assistant Director General of the Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Cluster; Dr Jorgen Schlundt, who was acting for the Director, Department of Nutrition for Health and Development; and colleagues from the Department of Chronic Diseases and Health Promotion including Dr Timothy Armstrong, Ms Vanessa Candeias and Mr Christophe Roy for their support in various stages of the preparations and undertaking of the WHO Scientific Update on health consequences of trans fatty acid. Special appreciation is also given to Dr Ala Alwan, Assistant Director General, Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health Cluster, for his support in completing this Scientific Update.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition for Health and Development, World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, Switzerland

    C Nishida

  2. Department of Public Health Nutrition, Instituto de Nutricion y Tecnologia de los Alimentos, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile

    R Uauy

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK

    R Uauy

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  1. C Nishida
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  2. R Uauy
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Correspondence to C Nishida.

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Nishida, C., Uauy, R. WHO Scientific Update on health consequences of trans fatty acids: introduction. Eur J Clin Nutr 63 (Suppl 2), S1–S4 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2009.13

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