The Federal Government has announced plans to develop policies and national strategies aimed at educating Nigerians on the appropriate consumption of safe and nutritious foods with the right salt content. This announcement was made by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Kachollom Daju, during the inauguration of the Technical Working Group (TWG) on Salt Reduction in Abuja.

Dr. Daju, represented by Mrs. Olubunmi Aribeana, Director of Food and Drug Services in the ministry, emphasized that these policies would work towards improving the dietary habits of Nigerians. The formation of the group was approved following the successful validation of the report on Policy and Legal Landscape Analysis for Front-of-Pack Labelling and Salt Target Setting in Nigeria (2023).

Reducing salt intake is highlighted as one of the most effective measures to enhance health and reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases, as it can prevent numerous cardiovascular events and deaths at relatively low public health costs, according to Dr. Daju. The group is expected to develop a comprehensive National Sodium Reduction Guideline to effectively and efficiently approach salt reduction in the country.

Dr. Daju also pointed out that while salt is an essential nutrient necessary for various bodily functions, overconsumption due to cultural and dietary habits has led to health concerns. High salt consumption in Nigeria has increased the risk of cardiovascular diseases, gastric cancer, obesity, osteoporosis, and kidney disease.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that member states reduce salt (sodium) intake by 30 percent by the year 2025. However, findings in some parts of Nigeria indicate that the average adult consumes more salt per day than the WHO's recommended 2g of sodium equivalent to 1 teaspoon per day, leading to insufficient potassium intake in diets.

The TWG is expected to play a crucial role in the development of the guideline to achieve the desired results and guide the implementation of the WHO SHAKE Project on salt intake reduction in Nigeria to meet the 2025 deadline. Adeola Olufowobi-Yusuf, Head of Department, Food and Drugs Services in the ministry, emphasized the need for collaborative efforts to ensure the development of a robust and comprehensive guideline to address the alarming statistics related to salt consumption and its impact on public health. She highlighted the rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) due to excessive sodium intake and the need for a salt reduction program integrated into the National Multi-Sectoral Action Plan for the prevention and control of NCDs in line with the WHO SHAKE package.

Naijamatta is a social networking site,

download Naijamatta from Google play store or visit www.naijamatta.com to register. You can post, comment, do voice and video call, join and open group, go live etc. Join Naijamatta family, the Green app.