Guatemala’s health ministry has proposed banning the production, import and commercial use of industrial trans fats, alongside a phased reduction to the World Health Organisation’s recommended limit.
Guatemala’s Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance has sent Congress a bill designed to curb the consumption of harmful fats from childhood onwards, in a move officials say would help reduce the burden of chronic disease. The proposal, presented on 15 October by health minister Joaquín Barnoya, targets industrially produced trans fats, which are widely used in processed foods and are associated with serious cardiovascular risks.
If approved, the legislation would go beyond setting limits for trans fats in food. It would also ban the production, importation and commercial use of the fats, as well as partially hydrogenated oils, the main industrial source of trans fat. The ministry said the plan is aimed at protecting public health early in life and easing pressure on a health system already dealing with both undernutrition and obesity.
The draft law sets a ceiling of 2 grammes of industrial trans fat per 100 grammes of total fat in food, matching the threshold recommended by the World Health Organisation. It is based on the WHO’s REPLACE strategy, a framework launched in 2018 to help countries remove industrial trans fats from the food supply through regulation, monitoring, public awareness and enforcement. The WHO has said trans fats raise the risk of heart disease and death, and in 2024 it began recognising countries that had made substantial progress towards eliminating them.
Barnoya has said the transition would be gradual so that food producers can adapt. Under the timetable described by the ministry, manufacturers would have 24 months to reduce trans fat content to no more than 5 grammes per 100 grammes of fat, before moving to the final WHO-aligned limit within 36 months. The ministry said more than 50 countries have already adopted measures inspired by the WHO guidance, including Canada, the United States, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Peru and Panama.
Health authorities argue that the measure could help lower rates of diabetes, obesity and some cancers, all of which increase the risk of heart attack and premature death. Mayo Clinic says trans fats can raise harmful cholesterol while lowering beneficial cholesterol, which is why they are considered among the least healthy fats in the diet. Industrial trans fats are commonly found in baked goods, fried foods, packaged snacks, stick margarine and other spreads, while naturally occurring trans fats appear in small amounts in some meat and dairy products.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
