Mobilising the Americas for dietary salt reduction

People are over-consuming salt, causing up to 30% of all cases of hypertension.1 In the Pan-American region, hypertension prevalence ranges from 20% to 35%, with the higher proportions more often seen in Latin America.2,3 Salt intake, where measured, can be as high as 11·5 g a day per person, with by far the largest source in most cases being commercially processed foods.4,5 The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has responded with an initiative, “Cardiovascular Disease Prevention through Dietary Salt Reduction”. During its annual autumn campaign for heart-health promotion, in 2009, “Less salt, more life” was added to emphasise dietary salt-reduction.7 Canada has had a multisector Sodium Working Group since 2007 with a mandate to develop, implement, and oversee a population-wide strategy to reduce the sodium content of Canadian diets.8 And in 2008, Chile convened an intersectoral and interdisciplinary National Task Force for the Reduction of Salt Intake, positioned within its obesity strategy.9 Since the release of PAHO's policy statement, Mexico launched a national strategy for health, nutrition, and the prevention of obesity and chronic diseases in January, 2010. (Best in class is a product with the lowest salt concentration in a given food category; best in world refers to a product with the lowest salt concentration available on the global market that is supplied by one multinational company under a consistent brand.) The success of most current national programmes for salt reduction has been based on health-care professionals building coalitions for advocacy to prompt actions by civil society.12 The Expert Group especially commends bold initiatives like that of the New York City mayor.13 It calls on relevant national and international non-governmental organisations, health-care professionals, and their respective organisations in the region to take hold of the growing momentum, educate their memberships and the public, and step up as advocates for population-wide interventions.