symbols , and colours on the label display contributed to parents ’ choice of MTL .
Various countries have demonstrated distinct approaches in their FoPL system . Chile put up warning labels on food products with exceedingly high sodium content ( 10 mg / 100g in a food product ). Sri Lanka uses colour-coding to indicate sodium levels per ��� g of food product : red labelling indicates sodium levels greater than 1.25 g , amber indicates sodium levels between 0.25 g and 1.25 g , and green indicates sodium levels less than 0.25 g .
Australia and New Zealand have implemented the Health Star Rating that summarises the nutritional quality of a food product and assigns ratings from � . � , indicating less healthy , to five stars which is the most healthy . The ratings have prompted food manufacturers to reformulate food products , leading to a decrease in salt levels by five percent . �rance has applied the Nutri-Score profiling system where food products with sodium quantity that are 90 mg per 100 g or less produce zero scores , while higher sodium content has a maximum score of 10 , meaning the lower the score , the more nutritious the food .
Public awareness campaigns The mass media plays a vital role in promoting public awareness of the dangers of high sodium intake . Public campaigns typically either focus on lifestyle modification or consumer education and come in many forms . In 2015 , Australia implemented a voluntary practice focusing more on raising awareness about food choice and portion size that optimises individual sodium intake . Recently , China ’ s National Institute for Nutrition and Health recommended that online food delivery apps display health messages and include a submenu with “ regular salt ” and “ reduced salt� options . These measures effectively persuaded customers to purchase healthier options and prompted restaurants to meet customer demand by offering meal products with �� percent less sodium .
South Africa saw an extensive media campaign by Salt Watch , a health advocacy group funded by the National Department of Health , to increase awareness of the link between NCDs and high sodium consumption . The campaign run daily for six months on television and radio and consisted of education and information segments as well as lowsalt recipes involving local medical doctors and media personalities . Local supermarkets in the United Arab Emirates launched the “ Healthy is Easy ” campaign that reduces salt in their own-brand products and utilises social media to promote salt intake reduction tips .
Malaysia ’ s Ministry of Health conducted an extensive awareness campaign on salt and health which included public access to educational tools such as guidelines , manuals , infographics , videos , posters , recipes books , booklet sodium counting , and slide presentations on its website . Healthcare staff
Cutting sodium consumption is one of the most cost-effective ways of enhancing health
were properly trained in applying the educational tools in conducting public events such as talks , exhibitions , cooking demonstrations , seminars , workshops , and continuous medical education , especially during World Salt Awareness Week , which is observed annually .
Taxation on sodium rich products More interventionist policies can take the form of a higher tax levy on salty food products . This not only generates higher state revenues but also encourages the food industry to reformulate their products , reduces consumption , and convinces consumers to seek healthier alternatives . Such efforts , such as the Public Health Product Tax in Hungary , have resulted in 40 percent of producers of unhealthy food products altering their product formulas to reduce or eliminate harmful substances , resulting in the government being able to reduce healthcare e�penditures on diet-related chronic diseases .
Commitment to preserving quality of life Cutting sodium consumption is one of the most costeffective ways of enhancing health and lowering the burden of non-communicable illnesses since it can prevent a significant number of cardiovascular events and fatalities at very low cost . The WHO has estimated that up to seven billion lives could be saved worldwide by 2030 through lower sodium intake .
But it will require national governments to continue implementing , monitoring , and enforcing sodium reduction policies and other measures to ensure that every adult and child enjoys a healthy food environment and is able to realise their fundamental right to safe , nutritious food and the highest attainable quality of health . n
GlobalHealthAsiaPacific . com ISSUE 3 | 2023
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