The World Health Organization has launched an initiative dubbed “REPLACE” that will provide guidance for all countries on how to remove artificial trans fats from their foods.

REPLACE, which stands for “Review dietary sources, Promote use of healthier fats, Legislate, Assess changes, Create awareness and Enforce, was launched on May 14, and is meant to lead countries in establishing legislation to eliminate trans fats.    

Artificial trans fats, or trans fatty acids, are made when vegetable oil hardens in a process called hydrogenation. Those hydrogenated fats can be used in fried foods, snack foods or baked goods, and in products such as vegetable shortening, stick margarine, coffee creamer and ready-to-use frostings, and can have some harmful health effects, such as raising levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol and increasing risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

This is the first time that the WHO is calling for the elimination of a big lifestyle factor driving non-communicable diseases—the world’s leading cause of death. The WHO says it is committed to supporting countries to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases.