Lots of controversy over salt. So ask your doctor for EXACT SALT INTAKE AMOUNTS.
See the following:
SALT:
Intake of potassium- and magnesium-enriched salt improves functional outcome after stroke: a randomized, multicenter, double-blind controlled trial January 2018
Low-Salt Diet Ineffective, Study Finds. Disagreement Abounds. June 2011
The wrong white crystals: not salt but sugar as aetiological in hypertension and cardiometabolic disease December 2014
Why Everything We Know About Salt May Be Wrong May 2017
The latest here:
Massive efforts needed to reduce salt intake and protect lives
A first-of-its-kind World Health Organization (WHO) Global report on sodium intake reduction shows that the world is off-track to achieve its global target of reducing sodium intake by 30% by 2025.
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% of WHO Member States are protected by mandatory and comprehensive sodium reduction policies and 73% of WHO Member States 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. 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 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. “This report shows that most
countries are yet to adopt any mandatory sodium reduction policies,
leaving their people at risk of heart attack, stroke, and other health
problems. WHO calls on all countries to implement the ‘Best Buys’ for
sodium reduction, and on 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 related with sodium
which greatly contribute to preventing noncommunicable diseases. These
include:
- Reformulating foods to contain less salt, and 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 such as hospitals, schools, workplaces and nursing homes
- Front-of-package labelling that helps consumers select products lower in sodium
- Behaviour change communication and mass media campaigns to reduce salt/sodium consumption
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. As part of the report, WHO
developed a Sodium country score card for Member States based on the type and number of sodium reduction policies they have in place.
“This
important 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, President and 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. “There are
proven measures that governments can implement and important
innovations, such as low sodium salts. The world needs action, and now,
or many more people will experience disabling or deadly—but
preventable—heart attacks and strokes.”
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 and to mitigate the harmful effects of excessive salt
consumption. WHO also calls on food manufacturers to set ambitious
sodium reduction targets in their products.
To read the report, visit: https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240069985
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