Seven million people could die of diseases linked to excessive salt consumption before the decade’s end unless governments immediately pass tighter restrictions on salt, a report by the World Health Organization warned this month.
Its authors are calling on governments to implement stricter sodium targets for food, mark salt content more clearly on packaging and boost public awareness of the health dangers posed by eating a lot of salty food.
“Excessive sodium intake is the top risk factor for an unhealthy diet, and it is responsible for 1.8 million deaths each year,” said Francesco Branca, director of the WHO’s Department of Nutrition for Health and Development.
Eating too much salt is one of the causes of cardiovascular disease, which kills an estimated 17.9 million people each year, according to the WHO. It can also lead to strokes, which kill 5 million people each year globally – and other serious medical conditions.
Governments could save many of those lives by introducing mandatory limits on the amount of salt the food industry is permitted to add to processed foods, Branca said – adding that this accounts for the majority of sodium consumed by most Americans, rather than salt sprinkled on food in the kitchen.
“This is really something that doesn’t cost money to anybody,” Branca said. “It’s a simple intervention, but it’s incredibly effective.”
Most people in the world consume about 10.8 grams of salt a day, more than double the level recommended by both the WHO and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which suggests consuming no more than a teaspoon of salt a day.
While salt is an essential nutrient, sodium – which constitutes 40 percent of it – narrows and stiffens blood vessels.
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