Why in news?
The ICMR–National Institute of Epidemiology launched a three‑year intervention in Punjab and Telangana after finding that Indians are consuming far more salt than the World Health Organization’s recommended limit, quietly fuelling hypertension and other non‑communicable diseases.
Key findings
- Excessive intake: Average salt consumption is about 9.2 grams/day in urban India and 5.6 grams/day in rural areas—both above the WHO’s safe limit of 5 grams/day.
- Silent health crisis: High salt intake rarely causes symptoms until it manifests as hypertension, cardiovascular disease or kidney disorders.
- Cultural factors: Salt‑rich pickles, snacks and processed foods are deeply embedded in Indian diets.
- Low awareness: Many people underestimate how much sodium they consume and are unaware of the benefits of low‑sodium substitutes.
ICMR intervention
- Low‑sodium substitutes: The project promotes salts that replace part of sodium chloride with potassium or magnesium, reducing blood pressure by an average of 7/4 mmHg.
- Pilot states: Punjab and Telangana are testing counselling and lifestyle changes among hypertensive individuals.
- Public education: Campaigns aim to raise awareness about reading nutrition labels and moderating salt intake at home.
Public health significance
- Hypertension reduction: Tackling salt intake could significantly cut the prevalence of high blood pressure and associated diseases.
- Policy implications: Findings may prompt reforms such as mandatory labelling of sodium content, reformulation of processed foods and nationwide adoption of low‑sodium salts.