Key information
Too much salt in the diet is estimated to cause about
10% of cardiovascular disease (strokes and heart attacks) and has
also been linked to stomach cancer, worsening of asthma, thinning
and weakening of our bones (osteoporosis), kidney stones and also
obesity.
According to the World Health Organisation, increased blood
pressure (or hypertension) is the leading risk factor for death
worldwide and the second for disability. Globally, hypertension
could cost US$ 3,600,000,000,000 annually if blood pressure levels
persist.
Blood pressure and salt
About 30% of people with hypertension would have normal blood
pressure and the rest would have better blood pressure control if
they reduced their salt intake to a healthy level. A joint WHO/FAO
expert consultation therefore recommended a dietary salt intake of
less than 5 grams per day, which is equivalent to 2000 mg of
sodium.
Worldwide, people eat in general about twice or sometimes three
times this amount. However awareness of the problem is still very
low.
Processed food salty
Consumer organisations all over the world have been raising
awareness of the issue and testing the salt content of food to help
consumers become more informed. Tests have revealed that
processed food (dried soups, instant noodles, meat, etc.) in
particular are likely to have high salt content. Bread is also one
of the main sources of dietary salt at home.
In some regions pre-prepared foods consumed outside the home are
often the largest source of salt in the diet, in other regions high
quantities of salt are added to food cooked at home or at the
dinner table.
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