Enact policies to reduce trans-fat consumption

To tackle heart disease, there is no alternative to stopping the use of trans-fat -- a type of unsaturated fat produced from vegetable oils -- in food, speakers at the inauguration ceremony of an advocacy campaign said yesterday. 

To reduce the use of this harmful fat, which is mainly used in commercially processed food products, they urged authorities to enact specific policies.

Non-government organisation Progga, National Heart Foundation (NHF) and Consumer Association of Bangladesh organised the event titled “Eliminate Trans-fat, Reduce Heart Disease Risks” at Cirdap auditorium in the capital.

Speaking as chief guest, Health Minister Dr Zahid Malik said, “It is urgent to legislate and implement policies to limit the use of fatty acids. We will take special initiative in this regard.”

Prof Sohel Reza Choudhury of NHF; Md Ruhul Quddus, country coordinator of Global Health Advocacy Incubator; and Hasan Shahriar, team leader of Trans-fat Project of Progga, spoke at the event, among others.