Sodium intake reduction could save 7m lives globally by 2030: WHO

ISLAMABAD: The world is off-track to achieve its global target of reducing sodium intake by 30 percent till 2025, says World Health Organization (WHO) report.

Sodium, an essential nutrient, increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and premature death when eaten in excess. The main source of sodium is table salt (sodium chloride), but it is also contained in other condiments such as sodium glutamate.

The report shows that only 5 percent of WHO member states are protected by mandatory and comprehensive sodium reduction policies while 73 percent lack full range of implementation of such policies.

Implementing 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 target of reducing deaths from noncommunicable diseases.

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 a 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.

The report showed that most countries were yet to adopt any mandatory sodium reduction policies, leaving their people at risk of heart attack, stroke and other health problems. WHO called on all countries and manufacturers to implement the WHO benchmarks for sodium content in food.

A comprehensive approach to sodium reduction includes adopting mandatory policies and WHO’s four “best buy” interventions, including reformulating foods to contain less salt, setting targets for the amount of sodium in foods and meals, establishing public food procurement policies to limit salt or sodium rich foods in public institutions and front-of-package labelling that helps consumers select products lower in sodium.

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. Mandatory sodium reduction policies are more effective, as they achieve broader coverage and safeguard against commercial interests, while providing a level playing field for food manufacturers.

“The report demonstrates that countries must work urgently to implement ambitious, mandatory, government-led sodium reduction policies to meet the global target of reducing salt consumption by 2025,” said Dr Tom Frieden, CEO of Resolve to Save Lives, a not-for-profit organization working with countries to prevent 100 million deaths from cardiovascular disease over 30 years.

The global average salt intake is estimated to be 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 top risk factor for diet and nutrition-related deaths. More evidence is emerging documenting links between high sodium intake and increased risk of other health conditions such as gastric cancer, obesity, osteoporosis and kidney disease. WHO calls on member states to implement sodium intake reduction policies without delay to mitigate the harmful effects of excessive salt consumption.