There is strong evidence that excessive salt consumption is one of the causes of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, and that reducing salt intake to the recommended level (less than 5 grams per day) will have a significant positive impact on the health of the population. As a rough estimate, and actual measurements show that in most European countries, the daily salt consumption currently ranges from 7 to 18 grams per day, and therefore, no member state has so far failed to achieve the recommended standards.
Therefore, reducing salt intake is one of the priority policy action and considered one of the most cost-effective approaches to the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDS). Activities in this direction, as a rule, consists of three main components: changes in the composition of products; raising awareness and information of consumers, including measures to ensure a clear and comprehensive markings on products; and monitoring of salt intake among the population. Finland and the United Kingdom was among the first countries that started to introduce and implement effective programs to reduce salt intake. Since then, many countries in the Region also began to carry out effective initiatives to reduce salt intake.
What results have been achieved in the United Kingdom and Finland?
- Already in the early 1970-ies of Finland began to take measures to reduce consumption of salt, which, inter alia, included conducting large-scale campaigns to educate the public. In 1993 it was adopted the government decision on compulsory labelling of salt on foods. In this case, the packaging of products containing particularly high levels of salt should also be placed warning labels.
- This was accompanied by the introduction of the “Best choice” is supported by the Finnish heart Association, which identified products with low salt content.
- Daily salt consumption among women in Finland has decreased from about 12 g per day in the late 1970-ies to just 6.8 g per day by 2002
- The United Kingdom's policy was aimed at establishing strict targets for reducing salt in different food categories. As a result, the food industry has created a unified “rules of the game”, contributing to a gradual reduction of the salt content in the products.
- This was accompanied by recommendations for the use of user-friendly food labelling and campaigns to inform the public.
- Since the inception of the programme to reduce salt intake in the United Kingdom in 2003-2004 there had been a reduction of salt intake by 10-15%. Published data show that the average salt intake fell from 9.5 g per day in 2000-2001 to 8.6 g per day in 2008, with a further slight decrease to 8.1 g in 2011
- In the United Kingdom, the salt content in key food products was reduced by 25-45%.
- Both countries have established a reliable system of monitoring salt intake, using for this purpose methods are the “gold standard”.
Currently available information indicates that at least 20 countries in the European region, specific initiatives to reduce consumption of salt, and at least 11 countries are taking measures to promote changes in the composition of food.
Source – world health organization
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