In a significant push towards the regulation of industrially produced trans fats (iTFAs) in Pakistan, youth leaders under the Transform Pakistan campaign from various educational institutes have successfully arranged a series of back-to-back consultative roundtable discussions.
These events have underscored the need for adopting best practice policies by setting no more than 2 percent limit of iTFA of the total fats in all foods. This campaign, spearheaded by Pakistan Youth Change Advocates (PYCA) with support from the Ministry of National Health Services, Regulations and Coordination (MoNHSR&C), and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI), aims at advocating conflict of interest free iTFA regulations through such dialogues.
The youth-led initiatives part of the broader Transform Pakistan campaign have played a pivotal role in mobilizing support for regulatory measures. The roundtable discussions provided a platform for open dialogue and collaboration between multiple key stakeholders.
The attendees of the events included high-level stakeholders from the Punjab Food Authority (PFA), Pakistan Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (PCSIR) and academia who shared insights into current regulatory frameworks and potential pathways for strengthening iTFA regulations.
One of the youth leaders, BareeraMunir from the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS), who led a round table discussion, ‘Regulating and eliminating trans-fatty acids from dietary sources in Pakistan’ highlighted the significance of these engagements.
