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Swapping Regular Salt for Healthier Option Could Prevent 400,000 Deaths in India Annually: Study
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What Happened?
A global study suggests that replacing regular salt with potassium-enriched alternatives could prevent nearly 400,000 deaths and over 1.5 million new cases of cardiovascular and kidney diseases in India each year.
Key points
- The study published in Nature Health estimates that a global switch to low-sodium salt substitutes could prevent nearly three million deaths annually.
- India could see approximately 399,884 deaths and 1.52 million disease cases prevented each year.
- High salt intake in India is a significant contributor to hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.
- A 2026 review found average daily salt consumption in India at 9.01 grams, nearly double the WHO's recommended limit of five grams.
- The WHO recommends replacing regular salt with lower-sodium alternatives for adults to reduce blood pressure.
Key insights
- Implementing potassium-enriched salt could lead to substantial public health improvements in India.
- The findings may prompt health authorities to promote dietary changes to combat hypertension.
- Addressing high salt intake could reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases in the country.
Why it matters
The study highlights a simple dietary change that could significantly reduce health risks associated with high salt intake in India.
Source
India Today
