iNDICA NEWS BUREAU-
Reducing salt intake will protect you from a variety of diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) has urged people across the globe to make “massive efforts” to reduce salt intake which can prevent the risk of heart problems, strokes, and cancers.
In a first-of-its-kind global report on sodium intake reduction, the global health body noted that the world populace has got off track in achieving the global target of reducing sodium intake by 30 percent by 2025. The global average salt intake is estimated to be 10.8 grams per day, more than double the WHO recommendation of consuming less than 5 grams of salt per day (one teaspoon).
The WHO report has called on manufacturers to implement the WHO benchmarks for sodium content in food. Mandatory sodium reduction policies are more effective, it said, as they achieve broader coverage and safeguard against commercial interests while providing a level playing field for food manufacturers.
The report shows that only 5 percent of countries are protected by mandatory and comprehensive sodium reduction policies, while 73 percent, including India, lack the full range of implementation of such policies.
Implementing highly cost-effective sodium reduction policies could save an estimated seven million lives globally by 2030, the WHO said. Sodium is an essential nutrient, but eating too much salt makes it the top risk factor for diet and nutrition-related deaths. The main source of sodium is table salt (sodium chloride), but it is also contained in other condiments such as sodium glutamate.
Several studies have revealed that increased intake of salt in food items can raise the risk of premature death. Emerging evidence also links high sodium intake and increased risk of other health conditions such as gastric cancer, obesity, osteoporosis, and kidney disease.
“Unhealthy diets are a leading cause of death and disease globally, and excessive sodium intake is one of the main culprits,” WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said in a statement.
