More than 100 experts, government officials and business leaders have written to United Nations Member State negotiators, warning that a proposed commitment in the upcoming UN Political Declaration on Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) risks undermining nutrition in developing countries.
In an open letter dated July 10, 2025, the signatories urged negotiators to amend the draft declaration to clearly distinguish between industrially produced trans-fatty acids and those that occur naturally in animal-source foods such as milk and meat. They cautioned that a blanket commitment to eliminate all trans fats from diets could discourage the consumption of nutrient-dense foods vital to tackling malnutrition in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC).
The fourth high-level meeting of the UN General Assembly on the prevention and control of NCDs and the promotion of mental health and wellbeing is scheduled for September 25, 2025. A 10-page draft resolution, released in May, is currently under review by member states, with the final version due later this year.
In the lead-up to the meeting, countries will gather in New York from July 14 to 23 for the UN’s High-Level Political Forum, which will assess progress on UN-mandated Sustainable Development Goal 3: Good Health and Wellbeing.
While the draft resolution has been welcomed for its emphasis on tobacco control, hypertension treatment and mental health care, its commitment to the “elimination” of trans-fatty acids has raised concern among agriculture and livestock experts, scientists and officials in animal health departments across several countries.
One of the commitments in the draft talks about reducing unhealthy diet, overweight and obesity by:
eliminating trans-fatty acids, and reduce levels of saturated fats, free sugars and sodium in processed food and beverages
providing front-of-pack labelling for food and beverages
putting in place public food procurement and service policies for healthy diets
protecting children and young people from the harmful impact of food marketing, including digital marketing
promoting optimal breastfeeding practices
While NCDs such as heart disease and diabetes are rightly identified as a growing global threat, disproportionately affecting LMICs, experts said the draft fails to differentiate between industrial and naturally occurring trans fats. There's an inconsistency in language as well: whereas tobacco, alcohol and sugar are associated with “reducing” consumption, trans fats are the only food category marked for outright “elimination” — a discrepancy they argue is neither feasible nor fair.
“While evidence indicates adverse health effects of industrially produced trans-fatty acids, there is little evidence that naturally occurring trans fats pose the same risk,” the letter noted, “In fact, some studies have suggested that they may have beneficial health effects.”
The signatories, from Africa, Europe and the Americas, called on the UN to ensure that the declaration reflects this nuance, particularly given the nutritional importance of animal-source foods in developing contexts. Meat, milk and dairy products provide bioavailable micronutrients, including vitamins A and B12, calcium, iron, zinc and riboflavin.
“Yet in some countries, average annual milk consumption can be as low as 1 kg, which is likely to lead to undernutrition. On the other hand, children who drink a glass of milk a day have been shown to grow three per cent more than those who do not. Moderation, not exclusion, is therefore critical,” it said.
The authors urged UN negotiators to specify the elimination of only industrial trans fats, cautioning that a broad commitment could “unnecessarily discourage the consumption of highly nutritious dairy, meat and other animal-source foods”. They warned that LMICs would be disproportionately affected, as these foods are already under-consumed in many such contexts.
Instead, they called for the declaration to support dietary diversity as a way to improve nutrition and reduce NCD risk.
The letter was coordinated by the Nairobi-based International Livestock Research Institute, and endorsed by the African Union’s Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources.
It was signed by 117 individuals, including officials from Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Livestock Development; experts affiliated with the UN Committee on World Food Security; the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition; the World Alliance of Mobile Indigenous Peoples; Cardiovascular Therapeutics at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland; the Natural Resources Institute at the University of Greenwich; the Global Dairy Platform; and Heifer International, among others.