China, U.S. Lead World in Saltiest Processed Meats, Fish

By Robert Preidt

HealthDay Reporter

TUESDAY, Oct. 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — China and the United States are tremendous powers of salt consumption.

The two world leaders emerged with the best salt ranges in processed meat and fish merchandise amongst 5 international locations assessed in a brand new examine.

High salt ranges in meals is a significant explanation for hypertension and its associated dangers of coronary heart and kidney ailments and dying. The World Health Organization recommends a most salt consumption of two,000 mg/day, however common world salt consumption in 2010 was about two instances greater.

The WHO has set a goal of a 30% world discount in salt consumption by 2025. Even although the 5 nations on this examine have methods to cut back salt consumption, the “sodium content material of meat and fish merchandise in all the chosen international locations was very excessive, with a 100 g serving dimension of meat and fish merchandise contributing to 1 half/ third of WHO advisable most day by day sodium consumption,” wrote Puhong Zhang, of the George Institute at Peking University Health Science Center, China, and colleagues.

Researchers examined meals diet labels of 26,500 merchandise in main grocery store chains within the international locations, zeroing in on salt content material.

Overall salt ranges have been highest in China (1,050 mg/100 g), adopted by the United States, South Africa, Australia and the U.Okay. (432 mg/100 g), in keeping with the examine. The outcomes have been revealed Oct. 18 within the on-line journal BMJ Open.

The examine additionally discovered large variations in salt ranges inside and between the 5 international locations, relying on merchandise and types.

For instance: common salt content material of meat merchandise was decrease in Australia (580 mg/100 g) than within the U.Okay. (590 mg/100 g). Salt content material of roast rooster in China was 4.5 instances greater than within the U.Okay. (893 mg/100 g vs. 197 mg/100 g). Chilled fish in China was 4.5 instances saltier than within the United States however the salt content material of bacon, frozen meat, salami and cured meats, dried meat and frozen fish in China was the bottom of all 5 international locations.

Continued

Processed meat merchandise included: meat options; bacon; canned meat; frozen meat; meat burgers; salami and cured meats; sausages and sizzling canine; sliced meat; dried meat; pate and meat spreads; kebabs; “different” meat merchandise and uncooked flavored meats. Also included have been entire hams and related merchandise; roast rooster; and uncooked unflavored meats.

Processed fish merchandise included canned, chilled, frozen and “different” objects.

“It isn’t straightforward to easily exchange or reformulate the excessive sodium merchandise that exist already for years. However, the massive distinction in sodium content material of comparable merchandise in several international locations, and the distinction in sodium content material amongst completely different manufacturers throughout the similar nation, point out that there’s nonetheless numerous room for salt discount,” the researchers famous in a journal information launch.

More info

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration affords methods to step by step cut back salt consumption.

SOURCE: BMJ Open, information launch, Oct. 18, 2021

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