The Center for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) today called for an immediate and comprehensive PHOs ban across Pakistan to reduce obesity and other non-communicable diseases driven by industrially produced trans fats. Partially hydrogenated oils remain a common ingredient in processed foods, baked goods, fried items and commercially prepared snacks, and CPDI warns they continue to undermine progress on public health.
Mukhtar Ahmad Ali, Executive Director of CPDI, emphasized that obesity is shaped by the wider food environment rather than individual choices alone and urged decisive regulatory action. “As long as PHOs remain in our food supply, efforts to control obesity and prevent heart disease will remain incomplete,” he said, calling for a full ban and strict enforcement nationwide.
Industrial trans fats from PHOs offer no health benefits and are linked to increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and metabolic disorders. Regular consumption of foods prepared with these oils not only contributes to unhealthy weight gain but also accelerates the onset of chronic illness, placing mounting pressure on families and Pakistan’s healthcare system.
Childhood obesity is a growing concern as children are increasingly exposed to low-cost ultra-processed foods containing harmful fats. Early exposure raises the likelihood of lifelong obesity and related complications, and CPDI argues that a PHOs ban is a vital measure to create healthier food environments for young people and future generations.
CPDI highlighted the World Health Organization’s recommendation to eliminate industrially produced trans fats, including PHOs, as a cost-effective intervention to prevent premature deaths and lower the burden of NCDs. The organisation also noted that several countries have already enacted strict bans and seen improvements in public health metrics.
For the past three years CPDI has worked to remove industrially produced trans fatty acids from Pakistan’s food system while the Government of Pakistan has set a national standard capping trans fats at less than 2% of total fat in food products. CPDI now urges authorities to move beyond limits and implement a clear PHOs ban with rigorous monitoring, enforcement and penalties to ensure compliance.
Removing PHOs from the food chain, CPDI says, is both a regulatory necessity and a moral obligation with long-term economic benefits. Protecting vulnerable populations, especially children, from harmful food ingredients is essential to reversing the obesity trend and safeguarding Pakistan’s health and future.
