December 12, 2019
Resolve to Save Lives (RTSL) and the Global Health Advocacy Incubator have developed a guide for governments, public health professionals and advocates to assess the levels of trans fatty acids (TFAs) in commonly available foods and in widely-used fats and oils. Identifying and assessing TFAs is the first step to eliminating it from the food supply.
The new protocols are based on assessment guides developed and used successfully by GHAI in Bangladesh and Nigeria and by RTSL in India.
An early version of the tool being used in Nigeria
Cooking oil in Nigeria
Artificial trans fat is estimated to cause 540,000 deaths every year. The World Health Organization recommends that TFAs make up no more than 1% of any individual’s daily calories. Fortunately, TFA can be eliminated and replaced with healthier alternatives without altering taste or increasing cost.
The new protocols provide procedural guidance for designing a study and collecting samples for laboratory analysis for the rapid assessment of trans fatty acids in fats/oils and foods. The protocols include a sample questionnaire for sampling commonly consumed products at informal markets. The results can be used to raise awareness and support policy action for the elimination of iTFAs or to monitor compliance with existing regulations.
Access the tools:
July 27, 2026
The FIFA World Cup is more than a football tournament; it stirs passion and captures the attention of billions worldwide, making it one of the most powerful commercial platforms on earth. Global brands compete to associate their products with the excitement and sense of belonging the sport inspires. But when that marketing targets children and adolescents, boundaries of advertising should be drawn.
July 20, 2026
To help advocates, public health professionals, policymakers and researchers apply that science in their own countries, the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) has launched a new free online course, “Nutrient Profile Models: A Tool for Healthy Food Policies.” The course allows users to go at their own pace, explains how NPMs work and offers practical examples for using them in policy advocacy.
July 13, 2026
The Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) developed this Sweetened Beverages Tax Position Paper as a guide on how to explicitly design SB taxes to improve population health. The paper recommends ways to ensure that the tax will make all unhealthy drinks less affordable, reduce their consumption over time and result in a decrease in diet-related diseases. It urges governments to reinvest the revenue towards health promotion to further its health and equity impact. It argues that there is a missed opportunity if governments do not design strong SB taxes primed to reach their intended public health potential.
