KENYA – Health advocates are calling for a review of regional legislation to control the use of harmful trans fats, or trans-fatty acids (TFAs), in cooking oils and foods across East Africa.

Despite a 2023 deadline set by the United Nations to eliminate these dangerous fats, no country in the region has fully eradicated them from the food supply.

Trans fats, which are prevalent in many solid cooking fats, margarines, and some liquid cooking oils sold in Kenya, have been linked to increased risks of heart attacks and death. These fats are transferred into a variety of fried and baked foods, including cakes, cookies, bread, mandazi, and chapati, posing a significant health risk to consumers.

The Nairobi-based International Institute for Legislative Affairs (IILA) has recommended amending the East African Standards Act to establish a common standard for the regulation of TFAs across the region.

“We are engaging regional policymakers to include TFA regulation in the Standardization, Accreditation, and Conformity Assessment (SACA) Bill,” said Gideon Ogutu, a Programs Officer with IILA.

The SACA Bill is currently under review by the East African Legislative Assembly and aims to protect consumer health and safety, among other objectives.

Rising non-communicable diseases in Kenya

The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified cardiovascular diseases as the leading cause of mortality globally, with more than 278,000 deaths annually attributed to the intake of industrially produced trans fats.

In Kenya, the situation is particularly concerning as the country experiences a transition from communicable diseases to a rapid rise in non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

“In Kenya, it’s estimated that 25% of hospital admissions are due to cardiovascular diseases, and 13% of autopsies revealed cardiovascular diseases as the cause of death,” Ogutu noted.

He emphasized that unhealthy diets, including those high in TFAs, are a major risk factor for NCDs.

IILA is advocating for Kenya to enforce national regulations to align with the WHO goal of eliminating or strictly controlling trans fats.

In 2018, the WHO set a global target to eliminate industrially produced trans fats from the food supply by the end of 2023. However, with most countries failing to meet this deadline, a new target has been set for 2025.

Celine Awuor, CEO of IILA, highlighted two best-practice policies for eliminating trans fats: a mandatory national limit of 2g of industrially produced TFA per 100g of total fat in all foods, or a mandatory national ban. She pointed out that Kenya has made a national policy commitment to eliminate TFAs under its NCD strategic plan.

“Kenya’s strategic plan includes establishing national regulatory and fiscal policies to promote healthy diets, such as trans-fat regulation, regulation of marketing unhealthy foods to children, and fiscal policies on sugar-sweetened beverages,” Awuor said.

However, IILA is also calling for a revision of Kenya’s existing Legal Notice 115 of 2015, which was intended to regulate TFAs but is currently not enforceable.

Global progress and regional disparities

In June, the WHO reported that 53 countries had implemented best-practice policies to tackle industrial trans fats in food, benefiting 3.7 billion people worldwide. This marked significant progress compared to 2018, when only six percent of the global population was protected by such policies.

“Trans fat elimination is attainable, affordable, and life-saving, and WHO remains committed to supporting member states in their journeys towards this goal,” said Dr. Francesco Branca, Director of WHO’s Department of Nutrition and Food Safety.

Despite global advancements, the progress in eliminating trans fats has been uneven, with the highest burden of these harmful substances remaining in the WHO Africa and Western Pacific Regions. In 2023 alone, new best-practice policies became effective in countries including Egypt, Nigeria, and the Philippines, accentuating the urgent need for East African countries to follow suit.

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