WHO Seeks to Wipe Out Trans Fats Worldwide

FILE PHOTO: Visitors eat fish and chips and drink soft drinks at a beach cafe in Brighton, Britain, September 24, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melvil
FILE PHOTO: Visitors eat fish and chips and drink soft drinks at a beach cafe in Brighton, Britain, September 24, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melvil
TT
20

WHO Seeks to Wipe Out Trans Fats Worldwide

FILE PHOTO: Visitors eat fish and chips and drink soft drinks at a beach cafe in Brighton, Britain, September 24, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melvil
FILE PHOTO: Visitors eat fish and chips and drink soft drinks at a beach cafe in Brighton, Britain, September 24, 2017. REUTERS/Toby Melvil

The World Health Organization has released a plan to help countries wipe out trans fats from the global food supply, calling for their replacement by polyunsaturated fats.

In a release issued Monday, the UN health agency said eliminating trans fats is critical to preventing deaths worldwide. WHO estimates that eating trans fats leads to the deaths of more than 500,000 people from heart disease every year.

Several countries including Denmark have already virtually eliminated trans fats by introducing legal limits on the industrially-produced oils.

Trans fats occur naturally in meat and dairy products. But the predominant source is industrially-produced and contained in baked and fried foods such as fries and doughnuts, snacks, and partially hydrogenated cooking oils and fats often used by restaurants and street vendors.

In explicit new advice, WHO has said that excessive amounts of saturated fat and trans fat should be replaced by polyunsaturated fats, such as fish, canola and olive oils.

Dr. Tom Frieden, a former director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called trans fats "an unnecessary toxic chemical that kills," noting that New York got rid of it a decade ago.

WHO says total fat consumption should not exceed 30 percent of total energy intake to avoid unhealthy weight gain.



Photos Show a Filipino Couple Walking Down a Flooded Aisle on Their Wedding Day

Newlyweds Jade Rick Verdillo right, and Jamaica walk hand in hand during their wedding at the flooded Barasoain church in Malolos, Bulacan province, Philippines on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Newlyweds Jade Rick Verdillo right, and Jamaica walk hand in hand during their wedding at the flooded Barasoain church in Malolos, Bulacan province, Philippines on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
TT
20

Photos Show a Filipino Couple Walking Down a Flooded Aisle on Their Wedding Day

Newlyweds Jade Rick Verdillo right, and Jamaica walk hand in hand during their wedding at the flooded Barasoain church in Malolos, Bulacan province, Philippines on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
Newlyweds Jade Rick Verdillo right, and Jamaica walk hand in hand during their wedding at the flooded Barasoain church in Malolos, Bulacan province, Philippines on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)

Jade Rick Verdillo and Jamaica Aguilar were determined to walk down the aisle on their wedding day. Even if it meant walking down a flooded one.

On Tuesday, the Barasoain church in Malolos, Bulacan province, Philippines flooded due to heavy rain. Typhoon Whipa had intensified seasonal monsoon rains in the Philippines, bringing widespread flooding.

The couple anticipated the risk of flooding, but instead of letting the weather dampen the mood, they decided to push through, as all marriages have their challenges.

“We just mustered enough courage,” said Verdillo. “We decided today because it is a sacrifice in itself. But there will more sacrifices if we don’t push through today.”

Aguilar waded down the aisle with her white dress and wedding train floating behind her through waters almost up to her knees. At the altar, Verdillo was waiting to receive her while wearing an embroidered shirt called a Barong Tagalog, worn during special occasions.

The newlyweds have been together for 10 years. The groom said, “I feel that challenges won’t be over. It’s just a test. This is just one of the struggles that we’ve overcome.”

Despite the turbulent weather, some family and friends made it to the wedding.

“You will see love prevailed because even against weather, storm, rains, floods, the wedding continued,” said Jiggo Santos, a wedding guest. “It’s an extraordinary wedding.”