NEWSLETTERNEWSLETTER May 2011 Issue 5
This newsletter is designed to keep you up to date on
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: the progress of salt reduction around the world. WASH members are welcome to contribute to the 1. Message from the Chairman Newsletter with any interesting salt related news
2. WASH news stories, or progress updates on salt reduction programs around the world. Please email me at: 3. World Salt Awareness Week [email protected]
4. Recent publications Kind regards, Clare Farrand
5. International news WASH is now on Twitter—Follow us
6. Country updates @ WASHSALT
7. Upcoming events WASH MEMBER NEWS 8. Taking action in your country
Introduction from Professor Graham MacGregor, Chairman of WASH World Action on Salt and Health (WASH) was established in October 2005 with the aim of bringing about a gradual reduction in salt intake throughout the world. We encourage and support our expert members in different countries to promote salt We are happy to welcome all new members, and reduction by setting up their own local campaigns. encourage WASH members to spread the invitation to their international colleagues. Please email: Best wishes, [email protected] for further information.
WASH membership has now grown to 423 individuals from 82 countries. New members include experts
from: Brazil, Bulgaria, Finland, New Zealand, Nigeria,
Poland, South Africa, Sweden, Turkey and the USA.
Click on the map above to view a members list
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WORLD SALT AWARENESS WEEK 2011 message of salt reduction and spur countries into
World Salt Awareness action to reduce their salt intake by raising Week was a fantastic awareness of the importance of salt reduction.
success thanks to the hard work and dedication New report on salt levels in pizzas around the world of our members. WASH released a new report that revealed The topic this year was excessively high salt (sodium) levels in many pizzas ‘Salt and Men’s Health’ around the world, with some pizzas containing twice which was identified as a the salt content of the same pizzas in other countries. result of UK research which showed that more men WASH surveyed the salt and sodium content of over die prematurely of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than 500 pizza products available around the world from women; CVD accounts for 29% of preventable deaths well known international pizza outlets such as Pizza in men compared to 21% in women. The research Hut, Domino’s, Eagle Boys and Papa John’s, as well as shows that men eat more salt than women and on those available in supermarkets and grocery stores. average have a higher blood pressure than women, Click here to view the full report particularly at a younger age, and are less likely to have their blood pressure measured, to take action Click here for full data to reduce it when it is raised or to take blood pressure lowering drugs. It is suspected that this is Below is a spotlight on activities that took place also the case in many counties around the world. around the world:
Countries around the world were invited to focus on The Pan American Health the suggested theme; ‘Salt and Men’s Health’ and/or Organisation (PAHO) organised tailor it to their own country’s needs. This year a webinar on Salt and Men's activities ranged from full day symposiums in Sweden health which was widely to radio interviews in South Africa and the launch of received. WASH and many a local project in Bulgaria to produce the first salt‐ experts from around the world free region in Varna. WASH is thrilled that so many participated in this event, which countries took part this year. World Salt Awareness focussed on: salt intake and Week is a prime opportunity to deliver the important health with a special emphasis 2
on men; the role of NGOs in promoting lower salt In Canada, the Canadian Stroke Network concurrent intakes; and results from a study conducted by with Salt Awareness Week, announced the launch of Consumers International in Chile, Argentina, Costa sodium 101 for the Iphone. The Iphone app is free Rica, Ecuador and Canada on consumers knowledge and designed to help users stay within their daily and opinions on salt intake. If you would like to view recommended sodium intake. For more information the webinar please click here please click on the image below.
Webinar hosted by the Pan American Health Organisation, , Washington In Sweden a joint meeting of the National Food Administration and Swedish arm of WASH was held The Australian division of World Action on Salt and on the 23rd March 2011. Forty representatives from Health (AWASH), in line with Salt Awareness Week, institutions, consumer organisations, food industry organised a debate hosted by the George Institute, and influential weekly journals attended the meeting. Sydney. The event was attended by about 100 A new attempt to legislate on salt content of foods people including representatives from the food and was discussed and it was agreed that a committee catering industries, health professionals, food critics, would be set down to take this challenge. The academics and media personnel. National Food Administration of Sweden accepted Click here to view the full report the task to Chair this committee—which will report at the next meeting in 6‐12 months.
The National Heart Foundation of Bangladesh held a press conference and a round table meeting attended by leading physicians, cardiologists, nutritionists, and the food industry. The NHF also held 3
television and press interviews to highlight the The UK celebrated Salt Awareness Week with dangers of a high salt diet. national media coverage following a survey on men’s favourite foods—which identified pies amongst the
top five favourite. Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH) then surveyed the salt content of pies
from well known pub and restaurant chains and
revealed the unacceptably high levels of salt. This gained significant national media coverage. The week also saw a reception held at the House of
Commons with representation from the UK government, experts from industry and the UK’s leading health charities, including the British Heart
Foundation, The Stroke Association, National Osteoporosis Society and Cancer Research UK.
Please click here for more information
Please click on the picture below to view Salt and Men’s health leaflet Leaflets produced by the NHF Bangladesh for
WSAW 2011 In the USA, Los Angeles raised awareness amongst the residents of LA to take action to reduce their salt intake through the release of their ’Salt Shocker’ videos which exposed foods with excessive amounts of sodium. A new video was released each day during World Salt Awareness Week.
To view the ‘Salt Shocker’ videos please click here
To read the press release please click here
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WASH compiled an International Low Salt Recipe the major factor putting up blood pressure, but Book with contributions form WASH members. paying attention to your weight can ultimately create better overall health. WASH would like to extend its sincere thanks to all members who kindly submitted low salt recipes. To If salt intake were halved, it would save download your complimentary International Low Salt approximately 2.5 million lives a year worldwide. Cookbook please click here
Please click here to visit WHL website
Click here to read the latest WHL latest newsletter
WORLD HYPERTENSION DAY RECENT PUBLICATIONS
WASH was pleased to support The World Interested in developing a national programme to Hypertension League’s (WHL) World Hypertension reduce dietary salt? WASH members Professor Norm Day on 17th May 2010. This years theme is ‘Know Campbell, Professor Bruce Neal and WASH Chairman your numbers and target your blood pressure’. The Professor Graham MacGregor have published a day serves to raise awareness on: guidance framework on how to develop a national programme to reduce dietary salt. The manuscript • The importance of measuring your blood outlines a sequence of steps that need to be taken, pressure regularly and provides suggestions on how to adapt to your • The importance of knowing what your blood national situation. pressure reading means—diastolic and systolic
blood pressure Click here for the full paper in the Journal of Human The day also serves to remind consumers that salt is Hypertension
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World Salt Awareness Week: A paper detailing the impaired after a high‐salt meal in healthy subjects, great work carried out by WASH members during published by Dickenson et al in the Americanl Journa World Salt Awareness Week was published in the of Clinical Nutrition showed blood flow was Journal of Clinical Hypertension. The paper highlights 'significantly more impaired' within 30 minutes of the importance of World Salt Awareness Week, and eating the salty meal than the low‐salt alternative and salt reductions and briefly outlines activities which the restriction reached a peak after an hour. The other countries have undertaken to raise awareness. study showed the amount of salt similar to that in a commonly eaten meal impairs blood flow in healthy Click here to read the full editorial in The Journal of men and women. Doctors found arteries rapidly lost Clinical Hypertension some of their ability to pump blood because of the damaging effects of salt and thought it to be a very early sign of heart disease. The research calls for the Sodium study in JAMA dismissed by World’s leading mechanisms to be investigated more intensively. experts. A recent paper in the Journal of the American Medical Association claimed that a lower Click here to access the full article in the American salt intake was associated with a higher Journal of Clinical Nutrition cardiovascular mortality in spite of a lower blood pressure. However, this study is seriously flawed and, therefore, cannot be used to refute the strong Sugar‐sweetened beverage, sugar intake of evidence that salt reduction is very beneficial to individuals and their blood pressure: Intermap study health and is one of the most cost‐effective Ian J. Brown Soft drinks and blood pressure. In a study interventions to combat the pandemic of of over 2,500 people, CASH member Professor Paul cardiovascular disease worldwide. Elliott has found that drinking soda and other sugar‐ sweetened beverages such as fruit drinks are Click here to read the article in the Journal of the associated with higher blood pressure levels in adults. American Medical Association In the study, the link between sugary drinks and
Click here to read rebuke in The Lancet higher blood pressure was especially strong in people who consumed a lot of salt as well as sugar. A higher sugar‐sweetened beverage intake, by 1 serving/day
Blood flow in the body’s main arteries is significantly (355 ml/24‐h), was associated with systolic/diastolic reduced within half an hour of eating just one meal BP differences of +1.6/+0.8 mm Hg (both P <0.001); high in salt. The paper Endothelial function is
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+1.1/+0.4 mm Hg (P <0.001/<0.05) with adjustment Institute, Sydney, has recently announced 85 new salt for weight and height. targets for foods to give industry the direction they’ve Click here to access this article been asking for. They will be working closely with
companies to help them reduce salt in line with these interim targets in support of ongoing Food and Health Salt Reduction Initiatives around the World. New Dialogue discussions. research conducted by Webster et al, to be published in the Journal of Hypertension shows 32 countries Please click here for full news story now have national programs to reduce population salt Please click here to view interim salt targets intake. Central to the success of these programs is the establishment of targets for the maximum The Australian Division of WASH (AWASH) continues amount of salt in different foods. Canada, the US and to be very active in its national salt reduction strategy; UK have set targets for over 80 different food issuing media releases to raise awareness and drive categories as well as similar targets have been put salt reduction. ‘Bread bakers, salt shakers? ‐ A survey forward for Australia. The paper is the first to carried out by The George Institute for Global health concisely summarize the most important elements of in November 2010 revealed that less than half of salt reduction programs in place around the world, bread products sold in Australia have acceptable salt and highlight those most likely to result in a successful levels. The report also revealed that salt levels in program. Australian bread products have not changed since 2007 despite the Government’s food and health Click here to access the article in the Journal of dialogue focusing on salt. Professor Bruce Neal, Hypertension Senior Director at The George Institute is working
towards ensuring that industry and government are held accountable and that Australians know what is INTERNATIONAL NEWS and what is not being achieved and by whom.
AUSTRALIA, in light of the new research conducted by Please click here to view latest AWASH newsletter Webster et al, in the Journal of Hypertension, is highlighted as one country lagging behind in it’s approach to salt reduction. The research In BRAZIL in celebration of World Health Day, the demonstrates how Canada, the US and the UK have federal government of Brazil, in a bid to strengthen set targets for over 80 different food categories, activities to promote healthy lifestyles, announced its whereas Australia currently only have 9. The George commitment to reduce salt in 16 food categories. The 7
Health Minister, Alexandre Padilha, signed an In CANADA concerns are being raised as the Canadian agreement with the food industry for a gradual Sodium Working Group (SWG) was disbanded by the reduction in sodium over 16 categories of food. The Minister of Health in December 2010 some of its Brazilian Society of Cardiology produced responsibilities transferred to the newly formed Food recommendations for sodium limits in packaged Regulatory Advisory Committee, who have strong ties foods. to the food industry. Bill Jeffrey, the national co‐ ordinator of the Ottawa‐based Centre for Science in Click here for further information the Public Interest, recently voiced his concern over the apparent lack of commitment by the Federal Government to promptly and energetically In CHILE, following a television programme on ‘Salt, implement the SWG’s 33 consensus the silent killer’ the Chilean Minister of Health, Jaime recommendations after more than 6 months since the Mañalich, announced that maximum levels would be SWG’s report: ‘The sodium reduction strategy for set for salt (and sugars) in processed foods. The Canada’. In order to save lives, not to mention Ministry of Health are now working towards setting billions of healthcare dollars, the Federal Government maximum levels of salt per 100g. need to do more than just suggest that they support Click here for full news story the recommendation, they need to take action.
Click here to read Bill Jeffrey’s letter to the Canadian Government In COSTA RICA the ‘National Plan for Salt and Sodium Consumption Reduction’ was launched on the 19th Click here to visit the health Canada website to follow May 2011. The launch, organized by the Ministry of this story. Health of Costa Rica and the Costa Rican Institute of The Canadian Stroke Network is busy keeping the Research and Teaching in Nutrition and Health pressure on and encouraging consumers to make (INCIENSA) was sponsored by the Pan American lower salt choices. It is currently estimated that the Health Organization (PAHO) and the Latin‐American average consumption of sodium in Canada is Society of Nephrology and Hypertension (SLANH). 3,400mg per day (8.5g salt) from all sources. Click here for more information Click here to visit the NEW Sodium 101 website
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SWEDEN established a sodium reduction advocacy In the UK, the move of the Food Standards Agency’s group, ‘WASH Sweden’ in November 2010. This Nutrition Division to the government’s control at the network now has over 50 members from the medical Department of Health in June 2010 created a large profession, health administration, food industry and amount of uncertainty about the future of the health professionals. So far WASH Sweden has government’s salt reduction policy. Consensus gained significant media coverage on TV, radio, a two Action on Salt and Health (CASH) urged the Health page spread in Sweden’s biggest selling newspaper Secretary Andrew Lansley to commit to the and also in weekly magazines. WASH Sweden held a continuation of the policy. The outcome came in joint meeting with the National Food Administration March 2011 when the Department of Health on the 23rd March which was attended by health launched the Public Health Responsibility Deal. professionals and the food industry, the meeting Companies signing up to the deal have pledged to marked the start of the ’salt battle’ in Sweden . reduce salt in their foods by 15% over the next 2 WASH Sweden plan to present at the Swedish years to meet the 2012 salt targets negotiated by Institute of Food and Biotechnology in Goteborg CASH and the Food Standards Agency with the food later this year. industry in 2008. Although this should result in salt intakes coming down by 1 gram from the current
intake of 8.6g to 7.6g in 2012, this is still a long way In THE NETHERLANDS the consumer organisation from the maximum 6g / day target and even further
Consumetenbond (CB) have been working to alert from the NICE maximum target of 3 g / day by 2025. Whilst it is disappointing not to have more consumers on the excessive amounts of salt in challenging salt reduction targets, given that salt processed foods. They have recently issued a press reduction is a simple and highly effective way of release targeting the food industry to take action. reducing the massive burden of blood pressure Click here to view full press release associated cardiovascular disease in the UK, CASH has supported the deal and is urging all food scompanie to sign the pledge here. TURKEY are striving forward with their salt reduction action plan. The plan, set out by the Ministry of The following companies have pledged to reduce Health in Turkey, is due to be published, promoted salt in the UK: and implemented in June. ASDA, Aldi Stores Ltd, Alliance Boots, apetito Ltd,
Associated British Foods – UK Grocery Division, Association of Cereal Food Manufacturers Ltd, Aunt
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Bessies Limited, Bella Italia Restaurants Ltd, Booker companies have now made commitments to the US Group plc, Burton’s Foods Ltd, Cafe Rouge Restaurant NSRI targets, as well as announcing commitments Ltd, Compass Group UK & Ireland, Consensus Action from local and state health departments and health on Salt and Health (CASH), Co‐operative Group (the), organization partners—approximately 72 across the Costa Limited, Ferrero UK Limited, General Mills UK, country. Greene King plc, HJ Heinz Co Ltd, Indulgnce Patisserie Click here to read more about the NSRI in New York Limited, Initial Catering Services (Autograph), ISS
Facility Services – Food and Hospitality, ISS Facility Services Healthcare, JD Wetherspoon PLC, Kellogg Walmart, America’s largest grocer, launched a major Marketing & Sales Company (UK) Limited, Kraft Foods initiative to make food healthier, and healthier food UK and Ireland, Marks & Spencer, Mars (UK), more affordable. It consists of five key elements; Marston’s PLC, McCain Foods (GB) Ltd, Midcounties first of which was a commitment to reduce sodium Co‐operative, Morrisons Supermarkets Plc, Nestle UK, OCS Group UK Limited, PepsiCo UK & Ireland, Pizza by over 25% in its packaged foods.
Express Restaurants Ltd, Premier Foods, Produced in Click here for the full news story Italy Ltd, Punch Pub Company, Sainsbury’s Supermarket Ltd, (Seven) 7 Day Catering Ltd, Sodexo, Subway, the world's largest fast food chain, Strada Restaurants LtdSubway International B.V., announced that it is cutting the amount of salt in its Tesco PLC, Unilever UK Ltd, United Biscuits (UK) "Fresh Fit" sandwiches by 28 percent. This is on top Limited, Waitrose, Warburtons Limited, Weetabix, of the 15 percent of sodium the company already Whitbread Group PLC, Yo Sushi. removed from its core sandwiches. CASH has conducted a number of surveys highlighting Click here for full news story foods that are high in salt, such as roast dinners, pub meals, coffee shop products and pesto. This has resulted in many companies taking products off the Global Branded Food Composition Database shelf for reformulation. AWASH has been meeting with stakeholders in the Please click here to link through to the CASH website UK, USA, France, Canada, Norway, China, Singapore,
India, Fiji, The Philippines, South Africa and New
In the USA, The New York City Health Department Zealand to discuss collaboration on a global branded has announced new commitments to the National food database project. The overall goal of the Salt Reduction Initiative (NSRI). Up to 28 new collaboration is to bring together readily available
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data about the composition of fast foods and GET INVOLVED – LESS SALT PLEASE! processed foods globally that can be used to drive national and international improvements in the food supply. The World Health Organisation provided some seed funding to develop a model template for If you’re a WASH member and would like to stimulate action the database which it will be making available to and reduce the population salt intake in your country here are members. Please contact Lizzy Dunford if you would some things you can do now: like to be involved in this project. 1. Identify the Policy Leaders in your country and write to them ‐ highlight the need to take action.
UPCOMING EVENTS: 2. Manufacturers such as Heinz, Subway and Kellogg's in the UK are making great progress in salt High Level UN Summit on Non‐Communicable reduction — why don’t you contact organizations Disease (NCD), New York September 2011. This is a in your own country and find out what they are very important meeting convened by the World doing? Health Organisation and United Nations. The 3. Add your voice. The supermarkets and the food meeting, attended by Heads of State, will highlight industry claim that no‐one ever told them they the importance of NCDs as the major cause of death want foods with less salt and unless consumers and disability in the world, in both developed and demand it, they don't see a need to change. Why developing countries. not write to your food suppliers and tell them about
The major cause of NCD is cardiovascular disease, i.e. the very high salt and fat content of the processed foods that they make. strokes, heart attacks and heart failure, and the major causes of this are high blood pressure, 4. Survey widely consumed products that are high in smoking and raised cholesterol. Salt eis th major salt, following the recent survey examples set by factor that puts up blood pressure. Salt reduction CASH on the amount of salt in pub and restaurant will play a prominent role in the meeting. meals. For more ideas please click here
5. WASH is leveraging the relationship between its If you would like to support salt reduction at this scientific members and the policy makers of the EU meeting, please direct the letter below to your head and WHO. WASH encourages you to get in touch of state to raise awareness of this important issue. with your country’s representative to offer your
Please click here to download letter in support of salt expertise and encouragement. Group members reduction. can be found on our website. Please click here 11
For further information contact: World Action on Salt and Health Wolfson Institute of Preventative Medicine, Queen Mary, University of London, London, EC1M 6BQ www.worldactiononsalt.com
Tel: +44 (0) 207 882 5941
Email: [email protected]
Newsletter Editor: Clare Farrand
Charity registration number 1098818
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