In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Sabine Kapasi – CEO at Enira Consulting, Founder of ROPAN Healthcare, and UN advisor – shared that reducing salt intake is crucial for public health, particularly in India, where excessive salt consumption is linked to approximately 175,000 deaths annually due to high blood pressure-related issues. Also read | Always add extra salt to your meals? Here’s what it actually does to your body over time
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a daily sodium intake of less than 2 grams (or 5 grams of salt), but Indians consume over 12 grams of salt daily, more than double the recommended amount. Highlighting this, Dr Kapasi said, “Too much salt is slowly killing people. WHO states that excessive sodium intake causes approximately 1.9 million deaths worldwide each year. The recommended daily intake of sodium is 2 grams, but the average person worldwide consumes more than 4.3 grams.”
She added, “The situation in India is even worse. A national workshop with Resolve to Save Lives in June this year showed that Indians eat more than 12 grams of salt a day, which is more than twice the recommended amount. This is linked to about 175,000 deaths each year from problems related to high blood pressure.”
Dr Kapasi further shared that one of the main causes of heart disease, stroke, and kidney problems in the country is high blood pressure: “The cost of treating these conditions is very high, and the economic effects go beyond hospitals. Early deaths and long-term illnesses lower productivity and put more stress on families that are already dealing with rising healthcare costs.”
Salt hiding in everyday foods
According to Dr Kapasi, cutting back on salt can be tough because it’s hidden in many foods that don’t even taste salty. “It is hard to cut back on salt because it can be found in foods that most people do not consider salty. Bread, cheese, instant noodles, packaged snacks, canned soups, and even breakfast cereals all have a lot of sodium in them. As more people in cities rely on processed foods, India could make the same mistakes as richer countries, where packaged foods became staples before regulations caught up,” she said.
Reducing sodium intake is crucial for public health, particularly in countries like India, where excessive salt consumption is linked to numerous deaths. Dr Kapasi shared what we can learn from other countries and how India can benefit.
She said, “The National Institutes of Health (NIH) says that processed foods make up almost 80 percent of the sodium people in Australia eat. Health officials have made lowering sodium levels in food a top priority because one in three adults already has high blood pressure. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has set voluntary goals for food makers in the US to lower the amount of sodium in their products. These examples show that rules and people knowing about them can change how food systems work.”
She added, “India has an edge in this case. Compared to richer countries, packaged and ultra-processed foods still make up a smaller part of people’s diets. Setting sodium limits early on can prevent people from relying on salty packaged foods.”
Why potassium-enriched salt is a good option
Dr Kapasi highlighted that potassium-enriched salt is gaining attention as a healthier alternative to regular table salt – by replacing some sodium chloride with potassium chloride, it reduces sodium intake while increasing potassium consumption, benefiting heart and muscle health.
She said, “WHO recently said that potassium-enriched salt is a good alternative to regular table salt. It has potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride. This simple change lowers the amount of sodium you eat and raises the amount of potassium, which is important for the health of your heart and muscles. The WHO says that people should get 3.5 grams of potassium every day, but most people do not.”
“The Lancet published research that says that using potassium-enriched salt widely could save hundreds of thousands of lives each year in countries like India and China. India could see major public health benefits from encouraging its use in homes, schools, and the food industry. Cost and distribution are still problems, but with help from the government and the industry, the product can get to homes of all income levels,” Dr Kapasi added.
Why policy should be in charge
Dr Kapasi explained that implementing nutrition labels on food packages, taxes on high-sodium foods, and stricter advertising regulations can encourage healthier choices. “Individual awareness is helpful, but policy changes are needed to make the system work better. Nutrition labels on the front of packages that are easy to read can help people make choices and force food companies to change their recipes. Countries in Latin America have shown that these kinds of labels make people less likely to buy foods high in sodium,” she said.
Dr Kapasi added, “Taxes can make a difference too. Putting higher rates on foods loaded with sodium and tightening rules on ads that target children would send a clear signal to both companies and consumers. Food makers may resist, but the savings in healthcare and the lives protected outweigh the short-term opposition.”
India’s commitment and gaps
She further shared that India aims to reduce average salt consumption by 30 percent by 2030 — however, progress has been slow due to the lack of a national strategy for reducing salt intake. According to Dr Kapasi, Nutrition Week 2025 (September 1-7) presents an opportunity to push for stronger action and bring policymakers, industry, and healthcare professionals together to address this critical public health issue.
Dr Kapasi said, “India has promised to cut the average amount of salt people eat by 30 percent by 2030. This is a change from its previous goal of 2025, which was in line with WHO’s global non-communicable disease action plan. Things have not gone smoothly so far, mostly because there is no national strategy for reducing salt intake. The rules are still weak, and not many people know about them.”
She added that ‘nutrition campaigns are progressing;. “They are reaching more people, and public health advocates are pushing for stronger action. Nutrition Week 2025 is an opportunity to keep salt reduction in focus and bring policymakers, industry, and healthcare professionals to the same table,” Dr Kapasi said.
A shared responsibility
According to Dr Kapasi, reducing salt intake is a collective effort that requires government policies, food industry reformulation, healthcare professional guidance, and public awareness. Individuals cannot be the only ones responsible for cutting back on salt.
She said, “It should be easier to make healthy choices because of government policies. Food companies need to change the way they make their products and market them. Doctors and nurses need to tell their patients about the dangers of eating too much salt. The media and civil society should help raise awareness.”
“If people do not pay attention, the country could end up with more preventable diseases that hurt the economy and make communities weaker. India’s young population is thought to be an economic strength, but that strength is weakened if high blood pressure and heart disease keep getting worse,” she added.
Dr Kapasi concluded, “There is no doubt about the evidence that too much salt is killing millions of people around the world and hundreds of thousands in India. Potassium-enriched salt, nutrition labels, taxes on unhealthy products, and stricter advertising rules are all things that can help people eat less. Nutrition Week 2025 should mark a new beginning. One of the cheapest ways to improve public health is to cut down on salt. If put into action with determination, it could save millions of lives, lower healthcare costs, and make life better for generations to come.”
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.