Chennai, A workshop on salt reduction held on Sunday by IIT-Madras, the state government and others underlined the importance of information on salt content in packaged foods and said that between 70 and 80 per cent of salt consumption comes from hidden sources and not from direct consumption.
The workshop was a collaborative effort between Sapiens Health Foundation, IIT-Madras (Department of Medical Sciences and Technology), Government of Tamil Nadu (Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine) and a New York-based NGO, Resolve to Save Lives.
The event, attended by doctors, professors and students of IIT Madras, among others, aims to boost the collective fight against high salt consumption, according to a press release from IIT-Madras.
Emphasizing the Tamil Nadu government's commitment to the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), Dr T S Selva Vinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said, "We all know that non-communicable diseases account for almost 65 percent of percent of deaths/mortality. "To address this epidemic, we must address risk factors that are modifiable, such as salt, sugar and related products."
Unless these factors are addressed, it would not be sustainable for any country to manage complications due to NCDs. Reducing salt consumption is one of the most cost-effective strategies and a global paper states that if current salt consumption is reduced by 30 percent, there will be at least a 25 percent reduction in the prevalence of hypertension.
Further, Dr. Selva Vinayagam said, “Current data says that almost 70 to 80 percent of the salt we consume comes from hidden sources and not direct consumption. This is due to greater ease in ordering food at home and eating out. There should be a certain level of action that we as individuals can take and also certain actions that we must take at the population or community level that governments can take. People should be more picky about what they eat. Whatever public interventions have been undertaken to combat tobacco should also be set aside as this is a bigger challenge.”
The benefits of such interventions are multiple, such as preventing mortality, complications, and prolonging years of health. The top public health official said consumption of processed foods is increasing due to lifestyle modifications and an instant attraction to fast food is leading to "overconsumption" resulting in complications such as mortality.
The industry is looking for new clients among children. "We need to break this down into different levels to reduce the problem of NCDs. We have more ultra-high density products available, which makes children addicted due to their easy availability and convenience. This is something we need to address through people like you. (doctors)," said Dr. Selva Vinayagam.
Dr. Rajan Ravichandran, professor of practice at IIT Madras and president of the Sapiens Health Foundation, stressed the importance of labeling and legal guidelines on "salt/sodium content in packaged foods, a key area of focus for all interested parties involved.
On the occasion, a manual on salt consumption guidelines for doctors was published. To spread the message, colorful posters about salt reduction were distributed.
Dr. Amit Shah, Director, Resolve to Save Lives (India), highlighted the global movement to reduce salt consumption, which has gained momentum, and appealed to the medical fraternity to prioritize appropriate reduction in salt consumption while treating the patients.
The workshop was a collaborative effort between Sapiens Health Foundation, IIT-Madras (Department of Medical Sciences and Technology), Government of Tamil Nadu (Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine) and a New York-based NGO, Resolve to Save Lives.
The event, attended by doctors, professors and students of IIT Madras, among others, aims to boost the collective fight against high salt consumption, according to a press release from IIT-Madras.
Emphasizing the Tamil Nadu government's commitment to the prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), Dr T S Selva Vinayagam, Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, said, "We all know that non-communicable diseases account for almost 65 percent of percent of deaths/mortality. "To address this epidemic, we must address risk factors that are modifiable, such as salt, sugar and related products."
Unless these factors are addressed, it would not be sustainable for any country to manage complications due to NCDs. Reducing salt consumption is one of the most cost-effective strategies and a global paper states that if current salt consumption is reduced by 30 percent, there will be at least a 25 percent reduction in the prevalence of hypertension.
Further, Dr. Selva Vinayagam said, “Current data says that almost 70 to 80 percent of the salt we consume comes from hidden sources and not direct consumption. This is due to greater ease in ordering food at home and eating out. There should be a certain level of action that we as individuals can take and also certain actions that we must take at the population or community level that governments can take. People should be more picky about what they eat. Whatever public interventions have been undertaken to combat tobacco should also be set aside as this is a bigger challenge.”
The benefits of such interventions are multiple, such as preventing mortality, complications, and prolonging years of health. The top public health official said consumption of processed foods is increasing due to lifestyle modifications and an instant attraction to fast food is leading to "overconsumption" resulting in complications such as mortality.
The industry is looking for new clients among children. "We need to break this down into different levels to reduce the problem of NCDs. We have more ultra-high density products available, which makes children addicted due to their easy availability and convenience. This is something we need to address through people like you. (doctors)," said Dr. Selva Vinayagam.
Dr. Rajan Ravichandran, professor of practice at IIT Madras and president of the Sapiens Health Foundation, stressed the importance of labeling and legal guidelines on "salt/sodium content in packaged foods, a key area of focus for all interested parties involved.
On the occasion, a manual on salt consumption guidelines for doctors was published. To spread the message, colorful posters about salt reduction were distributed.
Dr. Amit Shah, Director, Resolve to Save Lives (India), highlighted the global movement to reduce salt consumption, which has gained momentum, and appealed to the medical fraternity to prioritize appropriate reduction in salt consumption while treating the patients.
