Flowerbudnews
”Among these, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number one cause of death, accounting for 17.5 million deaths annually.’ – Prof Adeyeye
By Biola Lawal
Ikeja (Flowerbudnews): NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Christiana Adeyeye has disclosed that over 36 million people are dying annually from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) caused majorly by ingestion of Trans Fatty Acid (TFAs).
Prof. Adeyeye made the disclosure on Monday in Lagos at a world press conference held to announce the Federal Government’s gazetting of Fats, Oil and Food Containing Fats and oil Regulation 2022.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) Boss also announced the gazetting of the pre-packaged food labelling Regulation, 2022, all designed to protect the health of the Public
Prof Adeyeye said that the World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics indicated that non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes, and chronic lung disease, are collectively responsible for 74% of all deaths worldwide.
” In real terms, more than 36 million people die annually from Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Among these, cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number one cause of death, accounting for 17.5 million deaths annually,” the NAFDAC Boss stated.
”In this category, high blood pressure leads as a risk factor. CVDs are disorders of the heart and blood vessels, and they include coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, rheumatic heart disease, among other conditions.
”Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and chronic lung disease are collectively responsible for 74% of all deaths worldwide.
”NCDs are estimated to account for about a quarter of total death in Nigeria. The probability of dying between ages 30 & 70 years from the main NCDs is 20%
”At the 2018 World Health Assembly in Geneva the WHO called on countries to eliminate industrially-produced Trans fats Trans Fatty Acid (TFAs) from global food supplies.
” Agency released an action package called REPLACE that includes policy recommendations and interventions for governments to pursue.
”W.H.O has recommended one of these two policy pathways for implementation
Banning the use of partially hydrogenated oils, that is the source of industrially produced TFAs, in all foods OR Setting limits on the amount of industrially produced TFAs produced to not more than 2% of the total fat content in all Foods.” Prof Adeyeye stated.
She said further that ”NAFDAC with the co-operation, collaboration and support of the Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Justice and the Trans-Fat Coalition Partners in Nigeria have worked assiduously towards achieving the two-prong pathways.
”The coalition partners include but not limited to Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), Corporate Accountability & Public Participation Africa (CAPPA).”
The NAFDAC Boss said, ”I am delighted to announce the followings:
That in Nigeria we are already working with the industry and our partners to find alternative source to the existing partially hydrogenated oils that are the source of industrially produced Trans-fats. (iTFA)
”Most importantly we have reviewed the Fats and Oil regulation 2005 and we have a newly gazetted reviewed regulation known as Fats, Oil and Food Containing Fats and Oil Regulation 2022.
””This regulation has addressed the second pathway for elimination of industrially iTFAs with the limit of not more than 2% (0.02ppm) of the total fats in a fat, oil and food containing fats and oil products as recommended by WHO
”In addition, the Pre-packaged Food Labelling Regulation 2005 has also been reviewed to take care of the labelling requirement for Trans-fats hence we now have a reviewed and gazetted Pre-Packaged Food Labelling Regulation 2022,”” Prof Adeyeye stated.
She disclosed that ”the arrangement of the Fats, Oil and Food Containing Fats and Oil Regulation 2022 include:
Regulations
1. Scope of application
2. Source of edible fats and oils
3. Vitamin A fortification
4. Additives
5. Impurities
4. Labelling of fats and oils products
5. Labelling limits and claims for trans-fats and cholesterol”
Others are:
6. Classification, definition and specification of fats and oils
7. Prohibition
8. Offences and penalties
9. Forfeiture after conviction
10. Revocation
11. Interpretation
12. Citation
She however, declared that ”the emergence of these two reviewed regulations implies that the 2005 versions of these two regulations stands as repealed regulations without jeopardy from whatever was purportedly done in the spirit of the old versions”
Prof Adeyeye said that ”NAFDAC is poised to fully implement and utilised the regulations to protect the health of the public”. (Flowerbudnews)
