According to a new report by the World Health Organization, 5 billion people are at increased risk of heart disease and death due to trans fats.

The 2022 WHO report on the global elimination of trans fats, released Monday, says governments need to do more to ban industrially produced fats that clog arteries and are commonly found in cooking oils, spreads, packaged foods and baked goods.

Products containing industrially produced trans fats developed by chemists in the early 20th century, such as margarine, rose quickly as cheap substitutes for animal fats such as butter. Until the 1990s, they were widely considered healthier and were often used in large-scale food production. But this claim has since been debunked.

"Trans fats have no known benefits, only huge health risks and incur huge medical costs." WHO Director-General Dr. Tandse said in a press release. "In contrast, eliminating trans fats is cost-effective and has enormous health benefits. Simply put, trans fatty acids are a toxic chemical that can be deadly and should have no place in food. It's time to get rid of it once and for all."

According to the World Health Organization, global trans fat intake is responsible for up to 500,000 deaths from coronary heart disease each year. Studies show that artificial trans fats raise bad cholesterol levels and build up in the arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease and heart attacks. Natural trans fats are found in some meat and dairy products and are not considered harmful.

The World Health Organization lists Canada as one of 43 countries that have implemented best practice policies to eliminate industrially produced trans fats (also known as trans fatty acids). The 43 countries, which total 2.8 billion people, include Thailand, India, Brazil, the United States and many countries in Europe. Best practices include banning partially hydrogenated oils as a food ingredient or limiting industrially produced trans fats to no more than 2 grams of fat per 100 grams in all foods, the World Health Organization said.