Sodium activities . Daily meals should not contribute more than 30 percent of recommended sodium intake , precisely 210 mg / day for children in daycare centres , 360 mg / day for children in primary school , and 480 mg / day for children in secondary school . The national guidelines also emphasise the monitoring of access to nutritional food through the use of school nutrition action groups consisting of parents , teachers , dining staff , and nurses .
Food product labelling is essential in monitoring salt intake
The labelling of salt levels in food is equally essential as it promotes healthier eating habits , stimulates producers to create lower-sodium alternatives , and informs consumers about the food ’ s contents and nutritional value . do this , for example , by not including saltshakers on customer tables . Governments can also set an example by enforcing a healthy eating culture by serving low-sodium meals at government offices , public health facilities , community centres , and nearby shops and restaurants .
Some countries are already ahead of the curve . Brazil ’ s Ministry of Health , for example , has proposed a new ordinance that promotes access to healthy food as a fundamental human right and expands the distribution of unprocessed or minimally processed food in health facilities nationwide . This includes meals and snacks served by catering services during meetings , coffee breaks , conferences , and formal events . To improve the health status of healthcare workers , the ordinance also prohibits the advertising and promotion of ultra-processed foods within healthcare facilities .
Applying salt reduction measures at kindergartens , nurseries , and schools is crucial in cultivating a balanced dietary habit early . Dr Balbir Singh , a cardiologist from the Max Hospital in India , has raised concerns that high intake of sodium-rich food during childhood can in�uence food consumption in adulthood . “ Which means if you consume salty foods over a long period of time , you get accustomed to the taste and reach out for even saltier foods ,” he explained to the Indian Express news portal .
While some individual governments have set standards for food and beverages for school breakfasts , lunches , and snacks , others have done so for low-sodium meals at school canteens , snack bars , and vending machines . But few are enforcing any re�uirements to sell low-sodium food in eateries and convenience shops within proximity to schools .
Seychelles offers a good e�ample of how a country regulates the nutritional standards of its learning institutions . Through its National School Nutrition Policy , the government sets meal standards and guidelines for food provided to students during school
Food product labelling The labelling of salt levels in food is equally essential as it promotes healthier eating habits , stimulates producers to create lower-sodium alternatives , and informs consumers about the food ’ s contents and nutritional value . This practice can significantly in�uence reformulation enforcement and monitoring , front-of-pack-labelling , public food procurement and service rules , fiscal policies , and marketing limits .
Sodium level declarations for all commercial pre-packaged foods have been placed on the back or side of food packaging as required by the Codex alimentarius , a guide on international food standards established by the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation ( FAO ) and WHO . Member states have been advised to comply with Codex on nutritional labelling , with the further recommendation that the quantity of sodium be expressed at “ salt level ”. The need for this proposal was reinforced by a 2016 survey in Beijing conducted by Peking University where 47.7 percent of nearly 700 supermarket patrons were unaware of the relationship between sodium and salt . The study findings published by BMC Public Health suggested that labelling should display the word “ salt ” rather than sodium to improve consumer awareness and understanding .
�ront-of-pack labelling ( �o�� ) on pre-packaged food has increased the visibility of sodium content disclosure , increasing the chances of in�uencing consumer purchase . An �at-a-glance� labelling with explicit and straightforward language is appropriate for shoppers who read food labels for a few seconds before making purchasing decisions . The endorsement logo highlighting the seal of approval by renowned bodies such as the ministry of health or national food authority is the most common FoPL applied voluntarily by 15 countries .
�ultiple traffic signals ( �T� ) �o�� is the second most extensively used mandatory and voluntary labelling system that offers information about the content of essential nutrients per 100 g / serving and employs text descriptors and a colour code adapted from traffic lights to categorise nutrient content as low , medium , or high . A study by the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences revealed that parents from multiple Chinese provinces preferred MTL labelling as the nutritional information depicted was easier to understand . The results , published in the Nutrients journal , also suggested that adding subjective terms ,
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