Salt Intake in Iran is About Twice as High as the Global Average

On the second day of the International Congress of Nutrition in Mashhad, Dr. Hedayat Hosseini, head of the Iranian Nutrition Institute, said: “Non-communicable diseases are responsible for the highest rate of mortality in Iran.”

According to the news agency of the International Congress of Nutrition, Dr. Hedayat Hosseini mentioned the most common non-communicable diseases in Iran as rheumatoid arthritis, high blood pressure, diabetes and cancer.

He pointed to a research conducted in 2015 in Tehran and said: “According to this study, the average salt intake in Tehran, which is 37 grams per day, is one and half to twice the average of the World Health Organization’s recommended value.”

Professor of Tehran University referred to the use of salt while cooking, in processed foods and on the table while serving the food, as the main source of sodium and stated: “Among foods, bread has the highest salt content of 31%, followed by cheese which is ranked the second.”

Dr. Hosseini pointed out that stepwise reduction of salt consumption is a good solution to this problem and said: “The reduction of salt in food sources, re-formulation of food, restriction of salt content in bread and cheese, are among other solutions to reduce salt intake.”.

He added: "Along with these measures, we should promote the use of alternative fillings such as vinegar and lemon juice."