Saudi Arabia Among List of Countries to Reduce Salt Consumption, according to WHO Report

<p>A recent report issued by the World Health Organization indicated that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is among the top countries in the world in reducing salt consumption, and the first in the Arab world and in the region in enacting legislation and measures to reduce excessive consumption of salt with the aim of improving the nutritional value of food products and promoting nutrition patterns in society to maintain citizen health. and resident.</p>

<p>By adopting "maximum guideline standards for salt in food products," the Saudi Food and Drug Authority (SFDA) has worked in recent years to encourage food producers and importers to lower the salt content of 24 food items. The authority also imposed several regulations on food producers and importers, the most significant of which is establishing a mandatory limit for the salt content in all types of bread of "one gram per 100 grams of bread" and a mandatory limit for the amount of salt in infant and child food as well as milk drinks not to exceed "one gram per 100 milliliters".</p>

<p>The SFDA is conducting field studies and creating strategies to gradually reduce per capita salt consumption through a number of stages in order to address the chronic diseases brought on by salt consumption, which is thought to be a major contributor to high blood pressure and the subsequent strokes and heart diseases that cause death.</p>

<p>Recent reports from international organizations revealed that the Middle East has extremely high rates of salt consumption, with an average per capita consumption of more than 12 grams per day. Countries have advised taking the necessary steps to gradually and moderately reduce salt consumption to 5 grams per day in order to improve society’s public health.</p>