Salt Overload in India

Scientific data shows that Indian adults consume 8–11 grams of salt per day, nearly double the WHO-recommended limit of 5–6 grams. 

Sources of Salt Intake

• Home-made food: Nearly three-fourths of salt intake comes from pickles, papads, and cooked meals.
• Dining out: Restaurants use excess salt, oils, and butter to enhance taste.
• Packaged & processed food: Bread, cookies, ketchup, sauces, cakes, and pastries contain “invisible salt.”
• Cultural practices: Use of salt shakers at dining tables further increases intake.
• HFSS Concern: These processed foods fall under the High in Fat, Salt, and Sugar (HFSS) category, which is increasingly linked to rising lifestyle diseases.

Health Impacts

• Hypertension prevalence: Affects 28.1% of Indian adults.
• Cardiovascular risk: Directly linked to heart disease, stroke, and kidney ailments.
• Misconceptions: Rock salt, pink salt, and black salt are wrongly assumed healthier, though all contain sodium.
• Iodine deficiency risk: Many alternative salts are not iodised, potentially worsening deficiencies.

Global and National Perspective

• WHO Recommendation: Salt reduction is a “best buy” intervention, with every $1 invested yielding a $12 return in health benefits.
• National Policy: India’s National Multisectoral Action Plan (2017–22) for Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) prevention prioritised salt reduction.
• Current Gap: Unlike “sugar boards” and “oil boards,” salt receives inadequate advocacy.

Strategies for Salt Reduction

• Integrated HFSS Boards: Integrated HFSS Boards: Expand focus beyond sugar and oil to include High Fat, Salt, and Sugar (HFSS) foods.
• Behavioural Change: Encourage gradual salt reduction in cooking, flavouring with herbs/spices, and cautious use of low-sodium substitutes.
• Early Intervention: Avoid added salt in infants’ and toddlers’ diets to prevent lifelong high-salt taste preferences..
• Public Food Systems: Set salt standards in school meals, Anganwadis, and hospital diets.
• Front-of-Pack Labelling: Adopt mandatory warning labels on high-salt foods, inspired by Chile’s model.
• Community Initiatives: Remove salt shakers from restaurants; families to review and limit HFSS purchases weekly.
• Integration with Health Programmes: Mainstream salt reduction into national NCD strategies with cross-ministerial cooperation.

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