Members: Francesco Cappuccio (leader), Rainford Wilks, Adriana Blanco, Dan Chisholm, Ricardo Correa-Rotter, Mary L’Abbé

The surveillance team is a working subgroup of the PAHO/WHO Regional Expert Group on Cardiovascular disease prevention through dietary salt reduction that serves as the primary source for evidence-based policies. The subgroup was established during the launch of the Initiative on 9-12 September 2009, at the PAHO HQ, Washington, D.C.

Objectives

The following priorities were identified by the subgroup:

• Determine the salt intake per country
• Set the minimum requirements for a common protocol with scientific rigor
• Compile other existing studies with data on salt intake (e.g. industry sources)
• Gather context variables with salt intake data (demographic, socioeconomic, geographic)
• Determine the sources of dietary salt per country (e.g. common food basket)
• Initiate and advocate surveillance in the region contingent on the availability of funds
• Develop a survey on the knowledge, attitude and behavior toward dietary salt and health

The following 6-, 10- and 24-months markers were set by the group to address the priorities identified:

 At 6 months

• Identify potential signatories to the policy statement and approach
• Determine gaps in current surveillance systems
• Coordinate with fortification sub group regarding plans to monitor iodine parallel to sodium
• Collect options for protocols and methods
• Draft surveillance plan and schedule

At 10 months

• Develop a surveillance tool box with information on protocols, and pros and cons of methods and statistical considerations
• Measure baseline for country or in index countries: salt intake, sources of salt, contexts
• Share, collaborate on, and build databases on sodium intake and sodium in foods to achieve best in class
• Define burden of disease related to salt for countries in the region
• Confirm methods and components for costs and benefits estimates for regional and country levels

At 24 months

• Report on surveillance (salt intake, sources, contexts)
• Facilitate long term surveillance and monitoring