Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
WHO Wants Countries To Remove Or Limit Trans Fats Over Next Five Years
The Washington Post: UN Agency Calls For All Countries To Rid Foods Of Trans Fat
The World Health Organization is calling on all nations to rid foods of artificial trans fats in the next five years. The United Nations agency has in the past pushed to exterminate infectious diseases, but now it’s aiming to erase a hazard linked to chronic illness. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was expected to issue the call to action at a news conference in Geneva on Monday. (Stobbe, 5/13)
The Wall Street Journal: Food Makers Vow To Cut Trans Fats Globally
The public health arm of the United Nations said it will urge governments to ban or restrict those fats and replace them with healthier fats and oils. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said eliminating trans fats from human diets would be “a global win in the fight against cardiovascular disease.” Multinational companies that make trans fats and have used them as ingredients said they have largely eliminated those oils from foods in the U.S., parts of Europe and Canada, where governments already restrict their use. But trans fats remain widely used where regulators and food makers have been slower to take action. Many of the fats are in foods or oils made by local producers. (McKay and Bunge, 5/14)
In other news on food and health —
The New York Times: G.M.O. Foods Will Soon Require Labels. What Will The Labels Say?
The United States Department of Agriculture has proposed new guidelines for labeling foods that contain genetically modified ingredients. Food makers will be required by federal law to use the labels, starting in 2020. The safety of genetically modified ingredients, widely known as G.M.O.s, remains a source of anxiety for some Americans despite the scientific studies that say they pose no health threat. Many food makers now voluntarily place “No G.M.O.’’ labels on their products as a marketing tactic. (Harmon, 5/12)
The New York Times: Cod And ‘Immune Broth’: California Tests Food As Medicine
On a foggy afternoon, Diana Van Ry, a retired judicial assistant, dropped by the boisterous kitchens of the nonprofit group where she volunteers to pick up rock cod, cauliflower couscous and an “immune broth” enriched with vegetables and seaweed. She planned to deliver the meals to Brandi Dornan, 46, who is recuperating from breast cancer. “It’s food I wouldn’t have thought to make myself,” said Ms. Dornan, who started getting the meals during radiation therapy and is grateful for the help. “Wow, bless their hearts.” (Brown, 5/11)
The Washington Post: New Therapies Offer Hope For Peanut Allergies
Among food allergies, peanut allergy is one of the most severe: A minuscule amount of peanut protein may lead to anaphylactic shock and even death. Surveys show an upswing in incidence in the United States over the past two decades; a study last year estimated that nearly 2.5 percent of U.S. children may be allergic. All that the families of affected kids can do is avoid peanut products and keep antihistamines or epinephrine handy in case of a reaction. (Dance, 5/12)
The Washington Post: Salmonella Outbreak Tied To Rose Acre Farms Sickens 35 People, CDC Says
A salmonella outbreak that led to a recall of nearly 207 million eggs has now sickened nearly three dozen people in states along the East Coast. Thirty-five people — up by 12 over the past few weeks — have been sickened by Salmonella braenderup, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said this week. The outbreak, which has been traced to a single egg producer, has resulted in 11 hospitalizations. No deaths have been reported. (Phillips, 5/12)
