Launch of the WHO Global report on sodium intake reduction

9 March 2023 14:00 – 15:00 CET

For the first time, WHO launches a report exploring the progress of countries implementing sodium intake reduction policies and their impact on population dietary sodium intake and cardiovascular disease. Join us to learn what people and countries can do to accelerate action.

Key remarks will be delivered by Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Director-General and Dr Tom Frieden, CEO of Resolve to Save Lives and WHO regional experts.

Reducing sodium intake is one of the most cost-effective ways to improve health and reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases, as it can avert a large number of cardiovascular events and deaths at very low total programme costs.

All 194 Member States have committed to reducing population sodium intake by 30% by 2030, demonstrating strong consensus on sodium reduction as a lifesaving strategy, this report, however, shows that only nine countries have fully established the recommended policies to reduce sodium intake. Globally we are off track to achieve the target.

WHO calls for the rapid implementation of government-led and comprehensive mandatory sodium reduction policies and other measures, to improve health and reduce the burden of noncommunicable diseases.  

The WHO Global report on sodium reduction will be available here.

Agenda

Moderator: Dr Franceso Branca, Director, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, WHO

Welcome address

  • Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus Director-General, World Health Organization  (Video message)

Call for action

  • Dr Tom Frieden, Resolve to Save Lives (Video message)

Part 1 - Report highlights

  • Ms Kaia Engesveen, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, WHO
  • Dr Mary-Anne Land, Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, WHO

Part 2 - Regional action for global impact panel discussion

  • Dr Juliawati Untoro - Regional Office for the Western Pacific
  • Mr Leendert Nederveen - Regional Office for the Americas
  • Dr Kremlin Wickramasinghe - Regional Office for Europe
  • Dr Laetitia Ouedraogo - Regional Office for Africa
  • Dr Angela De Silva – Regional Office for South-East Asia
  • Dr Ayoub Al-Jawaldeh – Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean 

The launch will be simultaneously translated into Spanish.