WHO Global Report on Sodium Intake Reduction 2023 | Sodium Country Scorecard
The global average salt intake is estimated to be 10.8 grams per day (4130 mg sodium/day), more than double the WHO recommendation of less than 5 grams of salt per day (one teaspoon) (<2000 mg of sodium).
The recommended maximum intake of <2000 mg/day sodium (<5g/day salt) in adults should be adjusted downward based on the energy requirements of children relative to those of adults.
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, Meniere’s disease, osteoporosis and kidney disease.
In 2013 all 194 WHO Member States committed to reducing population sodium intake by 30% by the year 2025.
Since then, progress has been slow and only a few countries have been able to reduce population sodium intake, but no one has been able to achieve the target. As such, it is being considered to extend the target to 2030. (Roadmap 2023–2030 for the Global Action Plan for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases)
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.
SODIUM COUNTRY SCORECARD
For the first time, a Sodium Country Score from 1 (the lowest level) to 4 (the highest level) is allocated to each Member State based on the level of implementation of sodium reduction policies and other measures (both voluntary and mandatory).
Sodium Country Score is used to estimate the impact of policy progress on population dietary sodium intake and cardiovascular disease.
The Sodium Country Score Card assesses policies and other measures, and assigns the highest score obtained as follows:
- Score 1 (COMMITMENT) – A national policy commitment towards sodium reduction
- Score 2 (VOLUNTARY MEASURES) – Voluntary measures implemented to reduce sodium in the food supply or encourage consumers to make healthier food choices.
These measures would be considered if upper-level thresholds for sodium have been set in an underlying nutrient profile model (for example, a quantified limit for the maximum permissible amount of sodium in food served in schools), or if consumer behaviour is specifically targeted in relation to sodium (for example, prohibition on saltshakers in food service areas). - Score 3 (MULTIPLE MANDATORY MEASURES) – Mandatory measures implemented to reduce sodium and use a nutrient profile model to effectively implement measures.
- Declaration of sodium on all pre-packaged food.
- Fiscal policies on foods high in sodium.
- Interpretive labeling (Warning messages)
- Restriction of marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages high in sodium)
- Score 4 (MULTIPLE MANDATORY MEASURES AND ALL WHO BEST BUYS) – At least two mandatory measures to reduce sodium, mandatory sodium declaration on all pre-packaged food, and at the same time all four WHO sodium-related best buys.
- Sodium-related best buys policies as practical actions (WHO best buys for reducing noncommunicable diseases through reducing sodium intake):
- Lowering sodium content in food products
- Implementing front-of-pack labelling to help consumers select food products with lower sodium content
- Conducting mass media campaigns to alter consumer behaviour around sodium
- Implementing public food procurement and service policies to reduce sodium content in food served or sold.
Of the Member States, 56 remain in score 1 in the Sodium Country Score Card, without further measures implemented in the WHO African Region and among low-income countries, whereas 98 implement either voluntary, or mandatory policies and other measures, and are scored higher.
India has mandatory declaration of sodium on pre-packaged food but no other mandatory measure and so remain in score 2