WHO organized a forum and a technical meeting on Reducing Salt Intake in Populations, 5 to 7 October 2006 in Paris, France.
The Forum reviewed the current evidence base on a wide range of topics, including initiatives, policies and programmes aimed at reducing salt intake in the population, methods for measuring salt intake, main contributors to salt consumption and the impact of lowering salt intake on health care spending. Stakeholders involved in the development and implementation of salt reduction policies presented their activities and participated in the forum discussions.
During the technical meeting, which followed the forum, working groups discussed the rationale for recommendations on reducing salt intake, guiding principles for policy development and specific issues to consider at national level when planning an intervention on salt reduction. The WHO temporary advisers who participated in the technical meeting drafted a series of recommendations to different stakeholders on how to facilitate the reduction of salt intake at the population level with the long term objective of preventing chronic diseases.
WHO is developing the meeting report which will be available upon completion.