WHO Global Report on Sodium Intake

Key Highlights of the report:

• Of the 194 WHO member states, 55 per cent have implemented sodium reduction policies and other measures through mandatory and voluntary approaches.
• The global average salt intake is estimated to be 10.8 grams per day, more than double the WHO recommendation of fewer than 5 grams of salt per day (one teaspoon).
• Bread and bread products are the most targeted food category for sodium reduction across the implemented reformulation policies in member states.
• This was followed by meat, poultry, game or fish, ready-made and convenience foods and composite dishes and savoury snacks.
• Key salt reduction measures will generate an extra year of healthy life for a cost that falls below the average annual income or gross domestic product per person.

What is Sodium?

• Sodium (Na) is a chemical element of the alkali metal group (Group 1 ) of the periodic table.
• It is a very soft silvery-white metal.
• It is the most common alkali metal and the sixth most abundant element on Earth, comprising 2.8 per cent of Earth’s crust.
• It shows an exploding reaction with water.
• It occurs abundantly in nature in compounds, especially common salt—sodium chloride (NaCl)—which forms the mineral halite and constitutes about 80 per cent of the dissolved constituents of seawater.

Q1) What is alkali metal?

Alkali metals are any of the elements found in Group IA of the periodic table (the first column). These metals are very reactive chemical species that readily lose their one valence electron to form ionic compounds with nonmetals.

Source: Salt to taste? Reduce your sodium intake. It may save your life, says new WHO report

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