Great efforts are needed to reduce salt intake and protect lives

The first World Health Organization (WHO) of its kind Global report on sodium reduction shows that the world is not on track to meet its global goal of reducing sodium intake by 30% by 2025.

Sodium, an essential nutrient, increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and premature death if consumed in excess. The main source of sodium is table salt (sodium chloride), but other spices such as monosodium glutamate also contain it. The report shows that only 5% of WHO Member States are protected by mandatory and comprehensive sodium reduction policies, and 73% of WHO Member States do not fully implement such policies.

Implementation of highly cost-effective sodium reduction policies could save an estimated 7 million lives globally by 2030. It is an important component of action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goal to reduce deaths from non-communicable diseases. But today 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.

“Unhealthy diets are the leading cause of death and disease globally, and excessive sodium intake is one of the main culprits,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “This report shows that most countries have yet to adopt any mandatory sodium reduction policies, leaving their people at risk of heart attacks, strokes and other health problems. WHO urges all countries to implement ‘Best Buys’ for sodium reduction and manufacturers to implement the WHO reference values ​​for sodium content in food.”

A comprehensive approach to sodium reduction includes the adoption of mandatory policies and the four WHO “best buy” sodium-related interventions that contribute greatly to the prevention of noncommunicable diseases. That includes:

1. Reformulating foods to contain less salt and setting targets for the amount of sodium in foods and meals
2. Establishing public food procurement policies to limit foods high in salt or sodium in public institutions such as hospitals, schools, workplaces and nursing homes
3. Front-of-pack labeling to help consumers choose low-sodium products
4. Communication campaigns for behavior change and mass media campaigns to reduce salt/sodium consumption

Countries are encouraged to establish targets for the sodium content of processed foods, in line with the World Health Organization’s global sodium reference values, and to implement them through these policies.

Mandatory sodium reduction policies are more effective because they achieve broader coverage and protection from commercial interests while ensuring a level playing field for food producers. As part of the report, WHO developed a Sodium score card of the state for Member States based on the type and number of sodium reduction policies they have in place.

“This important report shows that countries must work urgently to implement ambitious, mandatory, government-led sodium reduction policies to meet the global target to reduce salt consumption by 2025,” said Dr. Tom Frieden, President and CEO of Resolve to Save Lives. and a non-profit organization working with countries to prevent 100 million deaths from cardiovascular disease over 30 years. “There are proven measures that governments can implement and important innovations, such as low sodium. The world needs action, and now, or many more people will experience disabling or fatal—but preventable—heart attacks and strokes.”

The global average salt intake is estimated at 10.8 grams per day, more than double the WHO recommendation of less than 5 grams of salt per day (one teaspoon). Eating too much salt makes it the biggest risk factor for diet and diet-related death. More evidence is emerging documenting links between high sodium intake and an increased risk of other health conditions such as stomach cancer, obesity, osteoporosis and kidney disease.

The WHO calls on member states to implement a policy of reducing sodium intake without delay and mitigate the harmful effects of excessive salt consumption. The WHO is also calling on food manufacturers to set ambitious targets for reducing sodium in their products.

To read the report, visit: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240069985

Note to editors:

WHO has partnered with Resolve to Save Lives, a non-profit organization, to support countries around the world in reducing sodium consumption in the population. Resolve to Save Lives was recently published by a Global Nutrition Database for Packaged Foods which currently presents packaged food nutrient data for 25 countries. Since 2017, Bloomberg Philanthropies has supported Resolve to Save Lives’ global efforts to save lives from cardiovascular disease. To learn more, visit: https://www.resolvetosavelives.org or Twitter @ResolveTSL.