A recent study has estimated that following the WHO’s sodium benchmarks for packaged foods can prevent 300,000 deaths from cardiovascular (CVD) and chronic kidney (CKD) diseases in India in the first decade. In 2020, the WHO established its first global sodium benchmarks for various food categories to alleviate the burden of diet-related noncommunicable diseases. The organization also recommends limiting daily salt intake to less than 5 grams.
This study utilized dietary surveys from 1,283 individuals in Delhi, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh, along with data from global disease burden studies, to assess the impact of following the WHO’s sodium guidelines on the Indian population. The findings indicate that complying with these sodium intake standards could prevent 1.7 million new cases of CVD and 700,000 new cases of CKD. Furthermore, mandating adherence to WHO’s sodium guidelines could…
