The average intake of salt among the population of Moldova is two times higher than the norm recommended by the World Health Organization. An adult daily consumes 10.8 grams of salt, while the recommendation of the WHO is 5 grams/day, shows a study launched by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Social Protection in partnership with the WHO Country Office in Moldova, IPN reports.
Bread is the food product with the biggest salt content. Each 100 grams of bread contribute 1.85 grams of salt on average. Over half of the population or 55.4% consume bread two-three times a day, a bigger proportion being recorded among villagers. One fifth of the population consumes sausages, while almost one fourth eat pressed cheese two-four times a week, adding thus 1.88 grams of salt to each 100 grams of consumed products.
University professor Galina Obreja said one in ten Moldovans take in salt over the norm. The food with a high content of salt causes hypertension that, for its part, is the main factor that causes cardiovascular diseases that are responsible for more than half of the deaths in the country. According to the study, the intake of salt is higher among men, the ratio being 11.5 grams/day to 10.3 grams/day among women.
The Government of the Republic of Moldova undertook to reduce the consumption of salt among the population to less than 8 grams a day by 2020, which is a 30% reduction. It also aims to reduce hypertension by 25% and mortality by ¼.
The study was carried out between July 21 and September 5, 2016 and covered a sample of 1,307 people.
