16/04/2010

• The average Spaniard consumes 9.7 g of salt every day, twice the amount recommended by the WHO. The Plan aims to reduce this quantity to 8.5 g per day by 2014.
• Reducing the intake of salt from the current 10 g a day to 5 g would result in 20,000 fewer strokes and 30,000 fewer cardiac events
• Between 70 and 75% of salt consumed comes from foods which are processed and consumed outside of the home, known as “hidden” salt in foods

The aim of the plan today presented to the Council of Ministers is to reduce the intake of salt in Spain in order to prevent high blood pressure, the cause of many deaths in this country due to coronary heart disease. In applying this plan, drawn up by the Ministry for Health and Social Policy and coordinated by the Spanish Agency for Food Safety and Nutrition (AESAN), it is hoped that WHO (World Health Organisation) objectives, which have established a limit of 5 g per person/per day for a healthy diet, can be reached progressively.

Currently the average daily consumption in Spain is 9.7 g, twice that recommended by the WHO. It is thought that 87.5 % of the population consumes more than the recommended amount of salt and that this is, for the most part, through diet.

A reduction in salt intake in the population from the current 10 g/day to 5 g/day (a reduction of 50%) would result in 20,000 fewer strokes and some 30,000 fewer cardiac events every year, according to conservative estimates, and would save millions of euros.

Under the Plan, as an intermediate objective between current intake and the maximum of 5 g/day recommended by the WHO, the aim is to reduce salt intake to 8.5 g/day by 2014.

Chronic diseases today constitute the major cause of mortality, life-threatening illnesses and illness, both in Spain and in surrounding countries.

Most risk factors associated with this type of illness are closely related to poor diet and insufficient physical activity. These determining factors can be changed by individuals, and for this reason health policies need to put special emphasis on encouraging the population to adopt healthy habits and lifestyles.

High blood pressure (hypertension) is the cause of more than half of stroke cases and 45% of heart attacks, affecting some 10 million Spaniards. As well as the deaths, high blood pressure is the cause of other illnesses and incapacity, as well as representing a huge drain on the Spanish National Health Service (SNS).

Reducing salt intake in the population is one of the simplest and most cost-effective ways of reducing hypertension, coronary heart disease and stroke.

As a result it is necessary to put into place a range of comprehensive measures which, besides actions aimed at reducing the salt content of processed and catered foods and a process for supervision and assessment, will include public awareness campaigns, since general awareness in the general public of the links between salt, hypertension and heart disease is limited, despite a huge amount of documented, scientific evidence.