Title
Availability, formulation, labeling, and price of low-sodium salt worldwide: Environmental scan
Date Issued
01 July 2021
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Yin X.
Liu H.
Webster J.
Trieu K.
Huffman M.D.
Marklund M.
Wu J.H.Y.
Cobb L.K.
Li K.C.
Pearson S.A.
Neal B.
Tian M.
CRÓNICAS, Centro de Excelencia en Enfermedades Crónicas
Publisher(s)
JMIR Publications Inc.
Abstract
Background: Regular salt is about 100% sodium chloride. Low-sodium salts have reduced sodium chloride content, most commonly through substitution with potassium chloride. Low-sodium salts have a potential role in reducing the population's sodium intake levels and blood pressure, but their availability in the global market is unknown. Objective: The aim of this study is to assess the availability, formulation, labeling, and price of low-sodium salts currently available to consumers worldwide. Methods: Low-sodium salts were identified through a systematic literature review, Google search, online shopping site searches, and inquiry of key informants. The keywords “salt substitute,” “low-sodium salt,” “potassium salt,” “mineral salt,” and “sodium reduced salt” in six official languages of the United Nations were used for the search. Information about the brand, formula, labeling, and price was extracted and analyzed. Results: A total of 87 low-sodium salts were available in 47 out of 195 (24%) countries worldwide, including 28 high-income countries, 13 upper-middle-income countries, and 6 lower-middle-income countries. The proportion of sodium chloride varied from 0% (sodium-free) to 88% (as percent of weight; regular salt is 100% sodium chloride). Potassium chloride was the most frequent component with levels ranging from 0% to 100% (potassium chloride salt). A total of 43 (49%) low-sodium salts had labels with the potential health risks, and 33 (38%) had labels with the potential health benefits. The median price of low-sodium salts in high-income, upper-middle-income, and lower-middle-income countries was US $15.00/kg (IQR 6.4-22.5), US $2.70/kg (IQR 1.7-5.5), and US $2.90/kg (IQR 0.50-22.2), respectively. The price of low-sodium salts was between 1.1 and 14.6 times that of regular salts. Conclusions: Low-sodium salts are not widely available and are commonly more expensive than regular salts. Policies that promote the availability, affordability, and labeling of low-sodium salts should increase uptake, helping populations reduce blood pressure and prevent cardiovascular diseases.
Volume
7
Issue
7
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Políticas de salud, Servicios de salud
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85110355160
PubMed ID
Source
JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
ISSN of the container
23692960
Sponsor(s)
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors. XY and KCL are supported by the University of New South Wales Scientia PhD scholarship. JW is supported by a National Heart Foundation Future Leader II Fellowship (APP102039) and receives funding for work on salt reduction from the National Health and Medical Research Council, the WHO, and the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation. KT was supported by an Early Career Fellowship (APP1161597) from the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia and a Postdoctoral Fellowship (Award ID: 102140) from the National Heart Foundation of Australia. JHYW is supported by a University of New South Wales Scientia Fellowship. HL is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia program grant fellowship. In the past 3 years, MDH received funding from the World Heart Federation to serve as its senior program advisor for the Emerging Leaders program, which is supported by Boehringer Ingelheim and Novartis with previous support from BUPA and AstraZeneca. MDH also receives support from the American Heart Association, Verily, AstraZeneca, and the American Medical Association for food system surveillance–related research. The George Institute for Global Health’s wholly owned enterprise, George Health Enterprises, has received investment funds to develop fixed-dose combination products containing aspirin, statin, and blood pressure–lowering drugs. MDH plans to submit patents for heart failure polypills, including for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. BN has received in kind support (salt substitute supplies) from Nutek and the Beijing Salt Manufacturing Corporation for studies of the effects of salt substitutes. JW is the Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Population Salt Reduction at the George Institute for Global Health.
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus