Display options
Cite
Parziale A, Ooms G. The global fight against trans-fat: the potential role of international trade and law. Global Health. 2019;15(1):46doi: 10.1186/s12992-019-0488-4.
Parziale, A., & Ooms, G. (2019). The global fight against trans-fat: the potential role of international trade and law. Globalization and health, 15(1), 46. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-019-0488-4
Parziale, Andrea, and Ooms, Gorik. "The global fight against trans-fat: the potential role of international trade and law." Globalization and health vol. 15,1 (2019): 46. doi: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12992-019-0488-4
Parziale A, Ooms G. The global fight against trans-fat: the potential role of international trade and law. Global Health. 2019 Jul 11;15(1):46. doi: 10.1186/s12992-019-0488-4. PMID: 31296242; PMCID: PMC6625029.
Copy Download .nbib Format: NLM
Share it on

Global Health. 2019 Jul 11;15(1):46. doi: 10.1186/s12992-019-0488-4.

The global fight against trans-fat: the potential role of international trade and law.

Globalization and health

Andrea Parziale, Gorik Ooms

Affiliations

  1. Sant'Anna School of Advanced Studies, Pisa, Italy.
  2. Global Health & Development, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (UK), Keppel St, Bloomsbury, London, WC1E 7HT, UK. [email protected].

PMID: 31296242 PMCID: PMC6625029 DOI: 10.1186/s12992-019-0488-4

Abstract

Non-communicable diseases in general and cardiovascular diseases in particular are a leading cause of death globally. Trans-fat consumption is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The World Health Organization's 'REPLACE' action package of 2018 aims to eliminate it completely in the global food supply by 2023. Legislative and other regulatory actions (i.e., banning trans-fat) are considered as effective means to achieve such a goal. Both wealthier and poorer countries are taking or considering action, as shown by the United States food regulations and Cambodian draft food legislation discussed in this paper. This paper reviews these actions and examines public and private stakeholders' incentives to increase health-protecting or health-promoting standards and regulations at home and abroad, setting the ground for further research on the topic. It focuses on the potential of trade incentives as a potential driver of a 'race to the top'. While it has been documented that powerful countries use international trade instruments to weaken other countries' national regulations, at times these powerful countries may also be interested in more stringent regulations abroad to protect their exports from competition from third countries with less stringent regulations. This article explores practical and principled considerations on how such a dynamic may spread trans-fat restrictions globally. It argues that trade dynamics and public health considerations within powerful countries may help to promote anti-trans-fat regulation globally but will not be sufficient and is ethically questionable. True international regulatory cooperation is needed and could be facilitated by the World Health Organization. Nevertheless, the paper highlights that international trade and investment law offers opportunities for anti-trans-fat policy diffusion globally.

Keywords: Global health governance; International law; International trade; Non-communicable diseases; Public health; World Health Organization; trans-fat

References

  1. Health Promot Int. 2018 Aug 1;33(4):561-571 - PubMed
  2. Global Health. 2016 Jun 06;12(1):25 - PubMed
  3. Soc Sci Med. 2016 Sep;164:100-107 - PubMed
  4. N Engl J Med. 1990 Aug 16;323(7):439-45 - PubMed
  5. BMJ. 2015 Aug 11;351:h3978 - PubMed
  6. PLoS Med. 2018 Jun 26;15(6):e1002590 - PubMed
  7. Bull World Health Organ. 2014 Feb 1;92(2):139-45 - PubMed
  8. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2016 Sep 04;5(12):683-685 - PubMed
  9. Bull World Health Organ. 2015 Sep 1;93(9):614-22 - PubMed
  10. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2017 May 20;6(12):727-728 - PubMed
  11. J Health Polit Policy Law. 2014 Jun;39(3):591-631 - PubMed
  12. Ann Intern Med. 2009 Jul 21;151(2):129-34 - PubMed
  13. Rev Int Polit Econ. 2017;24(1):87-118 - PubMed

Substances

MeSH terms

Publication Types