Cardiovascular disease prevention through dietary salt reduction

In 2009, the PAHO Director, Dr. Mirta Roses Periago, convened a two-year Regional Expert Group (EG) to lead and issue recommendations towards the PAHO initiative Cardiovascular Disease Prevention through Dietary Salt Reduction.

The Expert Group successfully completed the two years in October, 2011, culminating with the Second Meeting of the Expert Group and completion of the Final Report. The EG is enriched with new members, and will continue as the Technical Advisory Group (TAG) in the future.

Objectives of Initiative

The main objectives of initiative were to:

• explore the current epidemiological situation regarding cardiovascular disease and its link to excessive salt consumption in the Americas;
• review existing policies, interventions and programs aimed at reducing dietary salt and issue evidence-based recommendations for salt reduction in the Region;
• review, discuss and agree with relevant partners’ adjustments necessary for use of salt as vehicle for micronutrient fortification;
• foster public and private partnerships.

About the Expert Group

The Regional Expert Group of PAHO (EG) is a multi-faceted scientific and technical group formed by experts recognized worldwide in the fields of nutrition and cardiovascular disease.

The EG worked for a span of two years, from 2009 until 2011, and will continue its work as the Technical Advisory Group. PAHO served as the Secretariat for the initiative and worked with the chair, Dr. Norm Campbell, and the co- chairs, Drs. Rainford Wilks and Ana Beatriz Pinto de Almeida Vasconcellos (until 2011) and Patrica Jaime (during 2011), on a regular basis in order to report on progresses and to stimulate further actions.

To learn more about the EG, please click here.

Advances

• Policy Statement
• The Policy Statement provides countries with a roadmap for concerted action by governments, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and the food industry. It is currently available for open distribution and endorsement. To learn more about the Policy Statement, click here.
  
• Advocacy Resources
• Fact Sheets
  
• Monitoring and Evaluation Resources
  
• A Review of Methods to Determine the Main Sources of Salt in the Diet  to determine the main sources of salt intake.
• Protocol for detection of salt in 24 hour urine and position on the use of spot urine for monitoring   
• Liaison with Industry Products
  
• Questionnaire of industry reformulation practices geared toward multinational food industries with markets in the Americas in order to learn about their effort to reduce salt in packaged foods
• PAHO/WEF Statement of Rio de Janiero
• Salt/Iodine Collaboration
• White Paper
• Final Report of Improving Public Health through the Optimal Intake of Iodine and Sodium Meeting

Informative links of salt reduction initiatives