Written By: Longjam Dineshwori | Updated : March 10, 2023 2:19 PM IST
Sodium is an essential nutrient, but excess consumption can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke and premature death. While table salt (sodium chloride) is the main source of sodium, it is also contained in other condiments such as sodium glutamate. The World Health Organization (WHO) has been encouraging people around the world to reduce sodium intake to avoid these health risks.
However, WHO's Global report on sodium intake reduction, a first-of-its-kind, reveals that the world is off-track to achieve its global target of reducing sodium intake by 30 per cent by 2025. According to the report, only 5 per cent of WHO Member States are protected by mandatory and comprehensive sodium reduction policies.
The UN agency believes that implementing highly cost-effective sodium reduction policies could save an estimated 7 million lives globally by 2030. Such policies are important to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal target of reducing deaths from noncommunicable diseases, it said.
Sadly, currently, only nine countries (Brazil, Chile, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Spain and Uruguay) have a comprehensive package of recommended policies to reduce sodium intake.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, highlighted that unhealthy diets are a leading cause of death and disease globally, and "excessive sodium intake is one of the main culprits."
He expressed disappointed that most countries have not yet adopted any mandatory sodium reduction policies, which put their people at risk of heart attack, stroke, and other health problems.
WHO recommends less than 5 grams of salt per day (one teaspoon). But the global average salt intake is estimated to be 10.8 grams per day, which is more than double the WHO recommendation.
Eating too much salt is major risk factor for diet and nutrition-related deaths. Growing evidence also suggests high sodium intake may increase risk of other health conditions such as gastric cancer, obesity, osteoporosis and kidney disease.
The WHO is encouraging countries to take a comprehensive approach to sodium reduction, which includes adopting mandatory sodium reduction policies and its four "best buy" interventions related with sodium. This would greatly contribute to preventing noncommunicable diseases, it said.
Its four "best buy" interventions include:
Additionally, countries are encouraged to establish sodium content targets for processed foods, in line with the WHO Global Sodium Benchmarks and enforce them though these policies.
WHO is calling on its Member States to urgently implement sodium intake reduction policies to mitigate the harmful effects of excessive salt consumption, and on food manufacturers to set ambitious sodium reduction targets in their products.
