A recent study from The George Institute for Global Health says that the swift implementation of Nigeria’s trans-fat elimination policy could potentially avert around 10,000 deaths from heart disease and save an estimated $90 million (N12 billion) in healthcare expenses over the next decade and $520 million over the population’s lifetime.
Published in BMJ Global Health, these insights emphasise the urgency of enacting and enforcing measures to reduce trans-fat levels in the Nigerian food supply.
Following in the footsteps of South Africa, Nigeria became the second African nation to embrace a comprehensive trans-fat elimination policy in 2023.
The current focus is on implementing regulations aimed at restricting industrially produced trans fats to less than two percent of total fats in all food products, fats, and oils.
The study’s cost-effectiveness model revealed that implementing such regulations could prevent or delay approximately 67,000 cases of heart disease within the first 10 years alone.
Dr. Marklund stated, “Our analysis indicates that Nigeria’s trans-fat policy could still save thousands of lives within just a few years.”
Crucially, the study found the policy to be cost-saving, resulting in net healthcare savings amounting to approximately $90 million (N12 billion) within the first decade and an impressive $520 million (N185 billion) over the population’s lifetime.
Industrial trans fats, produced during the partial hydrogenation process of vegetable oils, pose a significant health risk, particularly for heart disease.
Prof. Dike Ojji, Head of the Cardiovascular Research Unit at the University of Abuja and a senior author of the study, stressed the importance of swift government action to tackle the growing burden of cardiovascular disease across Africa.
He expressed hope that Nigeria’s proactive approach would inspire other African nations to adopt similar policies.