World Health Organization (WHO) recently posted a report consisting of guidelines and benchmarks to help control the sodium intake.
The World Health Organization (WHO) in its report estimated around 11 million fatalities in the world associated with nutrient deficient diet, every year. From this around 3 million are accountable due to high intake of sodium.
Extra salt in drinks and food can put people at increased risk of strokes and heart disease which can be potentially fatal, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on May 5 2021, after they issued fresh guidelines to limit sodium content. In many developed countries and increasingly in developing countries, there is a significant amount of sodium included in the diets of people coming from processed foods including cereal, bread, processed meats, dairy products such as cheese, said the WHO.
The chemical nomenclature for common salt is sodium chloride, a mineral which helps in regulating the water in body, however excess of it can lead to various complications. The latest WHO guidelines for 64 F&B categories are focused on guiding the health authorities among 194 member countries. For instance, potato chips should contain atmost 500 mg of salt for every 100g serving, pastries and pies upto 120 mg along with processed meat upto 360 mg, according to the benchmarks. Authorities must initiate policies for reducing intake of salt and informing people to guide them into making appropriate food choices.
"Excess dietary sodium intake increases blood pressure and consequently increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases," stated the WHO
Amongst the non-communicable diseases around the globe, cardiovascular diseases accounting for 32% among all fatalities, said the WHO. There's also an association of excessive sodium intake with gastric cancer, chronic kidney disorders, and obesity. WHO has recommended consumption of lower than 2g sodium (or 5g salt) per day. In 2013, it has set a world target to reduce the average salt intake by 30% till 2025. It added, "The world is not currently on track to meet this goal."
