(CNN) - The World Health Organization wants to eliminate artificial trans fats around the world by 2023.
Artificial trans fats, or trans fatty acids, are made when vegetable oil hardens in a process called hydrogenation.
Those hydrogenated fats are often used in processed foods or baked goods, because they don't spoil as quickly as other fats.
But they can have harmful health effects, such as raising levels of LDL cholesterol and increasing risk of heart disease, stroke and type two diabetes.
LDL is described as the bad cholesterol because it contributes to fatty buildups in arteries.
On Monday, The World Health Organization launched an initiative that will provide guidance for all countries on how to remove artificial trans fats from foods.
Every year over 500,000 people die from eating industrially-produced trans-fat.
WHO plan to eliminate industrially-produced trans-fatty acids from the global food supply. It’s time to #REPLACEtransfat https://t.co/KLK2auFJeg #BeatNCDs pic.twitter.com/z4rCdz1GSP— WHO (@WHO) May 14, 2018
The step-by-step strategy is being called ‘REPLACE.’
Which stands for REview dietary sources, Promote use of healthier fats, Legislate, Assess changes, Create awareness and Enforce.
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