Health warning: cut back on salt
Print Edition
Salt intake has been on the decline in China since 2000, but people still consume nearly twice the amount recommended by the World Health Organization, according to a new study.
Published in the US journal JAMA, the study was based on diet surveys carried out in 2000 and 2009-2011 in 12 of China’s 31 mainland provinces, covering at least 46 percent of the Chinese population.
The researchers found the average salt consumption of Chinese residents declined by 22.2 percent, from 11.8 grams per day in 2000 to 9.2 grams per day in 2009.
“If we continue at the current pace, it’s possible for China to achieve the target proposed by the World Health Organization to reduce average daily salt consumption by 30 percent by 2025,” said lead author Wu Yongning of the China National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment.
But simply weighing dietary salt intake underestimated sodium consumption in China, Wu noted.
When salt from soy sauce, processed foods and pickled vegetables is taken into account, sodium intake in China in the years studied decreased by only 12.3 percent, from 6.4 grams per day to 5.6 grams per day, he said. The WHO recommends that people should consume less than 5 grams of salt, or 2 grams of sodium, per day.
“Although average salt consumption of Chinese residents fell significantly during the 10 years, it’s still far from the ideal sodium intake,” Wu said.
The rising incidence of high blood pressure and other chronic conditions also indicated that China needs to strictly control and consistently reduce salt intake.
“High sodium intake persists due to addition of salt and other seasonings during food preparation, and the increasing consumption of processed food,” the study said. “Further efforts are needed to limit salt/sodium intake, and regular monitoring is needed to assess progress.”
Convincing evidence has shown that high sodium intake is associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure, which is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke.
A study published in the US journal The New England Journal of Medicine in 2014 showed that about 1.65 million heart-related deaths per year worldwide can be attributed to high sodium consumption.
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