September 29 is celebrated as World Heart Day. The theme for this year is ‘Salt Reduction saves lives’.
Reducing salt intake to less than 5 grams (less than one teaspoon) per day can save millions of lives from heart disease, stroke and related conditions.
Most people consume too much salt- on average 9-12 grams per day- about twice the recommended level.
Reducing salt intake is one of the most cost-effective interventions to reduce mortality at the population level.
The global target is a 30% relative reduction in salt consumption by the year 2025.
An estimated 2.5 million lives can be saved each year by reducing global salt consumption to the recommended level.
Links to important documents/ content:
Link to the WHO media note on the World Heart Day 2014:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/news/notes/2014/salt-reduction/en/
Link to WHO factsheet on salt reduction:
http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs393/en/
Link to the WHO guideline on Sodium intake for adults and children:
http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/77985/1/9789241504836_eng.pdf?ua=1
Link to World Heart Federation page on World Heart Day 2014:
http://www.world-heart-federation.org/what-we-do/awareness/world-heart-day-2014-home/
Link to Youtube video on World Heart Day 2014:
Link to World Heart Federation Infographic on Women, Children and heart disease (PDF):
Click to access FINAL-_Infographic_A4.pdf
Link to World Heart Federation page describing actions for Heart healthy homes:
Link to World Heart Federation page describing actions for Heart healthy communities:
Link to World Heart Federation page describing actions for Heart healthy nations:
Link to World Heart Federation page describing the 8 week walking challenge:
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