Salt consumption in the Americas is three times higher than recommended by WHO

Inhabitants of the Americas consume between 8.5 and 15 grams of salt per day, three times the amount recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). To encourage new habits, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the WHO's right arm, presented new regional goals for reducing salt in the population's diet. The main objective is to reduce the sodium content of processed foods, including breads, cereals and grains, processed meats and dairy products. The director of Communicable Diseases and Mental Health at PAHO, Ansel Hennis, recalls that the countries of the Americas had agreed to reduce salt consumption by 30% by 2025. According to Opas, processed food has a lot of salt and is widely consumed in the American continent. The institution reminds that ingesting excess salt contributes to a higher risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as high blood pressure. Every year, 9.4 million people die from the impacts of hypertension. Medical studies have already proven that ...