Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED) has warned that Nigerians’ daily salt intake is three times higher than the global standard and urged government to formulate policies and regulations that will force food industries to comply with regulations.
Speaking at a media roundtable on campaign to reduce salt content on processed food in Nigeria, Project Advisor for NHED, Dr Jerome Mafein, identified cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) as the leading causes of death globally, saying an estimated 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2019, representing 32 per cent of all global deaths.
He observed that high sodium consumption (2g/day equivalent to 5g of salt per day) contributes to high blood pressure and increases the risk of heart disease and stroke.
Mafein noted that the main source of sodium in our diet is salt, although it could come from sodium glutamate.
He said: “In Nigeria, the mean salt intake is 10g/day twice the recommended maximum level. Reducing sodium intake significantly reduces blood pressure in adults. Key salt reduction measures will generate an extra year of healthy life for a cost that falls below the average annual income or gross domestic product per person. Reducing salt intake to less than 5 grams per day (about 1 teaspoon) will save around 2.5 million lives every year.”
Country Director of NHED, Dr Emmanuel Sokpo, stated that in 2013, World Health Organisation (WHO) agreed to 9 global voluntary targets for the prevention and control of the Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), which includes a 30 per cent relative reduction in the intake of salt by 2025.
The Global Action plan for the prevention and control of NCDs 2013-2020 give guidance and policy options for member states, WHO and other UN agencies to achieve the targets.
In 2016, the SHAKE technical package was developed, and it was aimed at assisting member states with the development, implementation and monitoring of salt reduction strategies.
“The campaign to reduce salt content in commercially-produced foods in Nigeria aimed at safeguarding the health of Nigerian citizens, collaborate with Federal Ministry of Health to incorporate the Key NMSAP priorities for salt reduction into the existing National Policy on Food Safety and Quality. Engagement with NAFDAC to plan and develop or adopt a mandatory regulation for salt target.
The project coordinator, salt reduction project, Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), Bukola Odele, stated that high salt intake could impact negatively on our health by leading to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, stroke and heart disease, kidney diseases, osteoporosis and gastric cancer.
Deputy Director Press, Federal Ministry of Information, Suleiman Haruna, stated that the media has a role to play in sensitising the masses on the risk of high salt intake.
