The cheapest way to prevent NCDs: reducing salt consumption

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 70% of deaths in lowand middle-income group countries are due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

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Poor lifestyles, smoking, the use of alcohol, lack of exercise, air pollution, and other factors contribute to this figure. It is of paramount importance to prevent NCDs, as their treatment can be a huge burden to the health budget of a country. One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways of preventing NCDs is reducing salt consumption in the population. Salt consumption, the WHO says, should be less than 5 grams per day from all sources: this includes natural sources, salt added while cooking, and hidden salt in processed and packaged food. Indians consume way above the recommendation at around 8 to 11 grams per day. It is important to clarify the confusion between sodium and salt. Two grams of sodium is equal to 5 grams of common salt. The relationship between salt and blood pressure is well known. High salt intake leads to increased blood volume, and unless the endothelium (lining of the blood vessels) produces nitrous oxide, the blood vessel fails to dilate, leading to hypertension.