Population sodium reduction strategies
Strategies to monitor and evaluate population sodium consumption and sources of sodium in the diet
In October 2010, the World Health Organization and the Government of Canada jointly convened a technical meeting in Calgary on: "Strategies to monitor and evaluate population sodium consumption and sources of sodium in the diet." The meeting provided and opportunity for detailed discussions on monitoring sodium intake levels at population level, assessment of dietary sources of sodium, and knowledge, attitudes and behaviours towards sodium and health.
This report is a summary of the evidence and experiences presented during the technical meeting, as well as the discussions of the working group sessions and conclusions reached by the participants.
Creating an enabling environment for population-based salt reduction strategies
In July 2010, the World Health Organization and the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency jointly convened a technical meeting in London on: "Creating an Enabling Environment for Population-based Salt Reduction Strategies." The meeting provided an opportunity for detailed discussion on interventions for consumer education and reformulation of industrially produced foods to enable consumers to make appropriate choices to reduce the total sodium content of their diet.
This report is a summary of the evidence and experiences presented during the technical meeting, as well as the discussions of the working group sessions and conclusions reached by the participants.
Multistakeholder information exchange forums and technical meetings
As part of the implementation of the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health and the 2008-2013 Action Plan for the Global Strategy for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, WHO will convene three multistakeholder information exchange forums and technical meetings focusing on three aspects of population sodium reduction strategies:
- Creating environments which enable the reduction of sodium intake. Building on existing experiences, which will focus on interventions for consumer education and reformulation of industrially produced foods to enable consumers to make appropriate choices to reduce the total sodium content of their diet.
- Evaluating and monitoring population sodium consumption and sources of sodium in the diet. This will focus on identifying the appropriate tools and protocols that are effective to monitor and evaluate population sodium consumption and sources of sodium in the diet.
- The role of fortified salt in iodine deficiency prevention. This will focus on analysing how the two strategies (salt reduction and iodine fortification) can efficiently and effectively work together for the benefit of populations affected.
It is expected that the outcomes of these meetings will constitute a useful resource for Member States and other stakeholders, when planning and implementing interventions aiming at reducing population-wide sodium intake.