25.09.2025

SALT & BURDEN OF NON-COMMUNICABLE DISEASES (NCDs)

Context

Salt is essential for the body but has become a hidden danger in India’s health crisis. Unlike sugar and fat, excess salt intake is often overlooked. Indians consume 8 to 11 grams daily, exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended 5 grams, increasing the risk of Non-Communicable Diseases.

Sources of Excess Salt

• Home-cooked foods: Pickles, papads, chutneys, and liberal use of salt in curries.
   
• Restaurant meals: Enhanced taste with butter, oil, and extra salt.
   
• Packaged and processed foods: Bread, biscuits, sauces, cakes, and ready-to-eat items, which contain large amounts of hidden or invisible salt.
   
• Common misconception: Alternatives like rock salt, pink salt, and black salt are not significantly healthier, as they contain similar sodium levels.
   

Health Impact: The Link with NCDs

Excessive salt intake is a major driver of Non-Communicable Diseases, which account for 60% of all deaths in India.

Key conditions include:

1. Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) – Affects nearly 28% of Indian adults and is directly linked to excessive sodium intake.
    
2. Cardiovascular Diseases (CVDs) – The leading cause of mortality in India, aggravated by high salt diets.
    
3. Premature Deaths – Hypertension and CVD are leading contributors to early mortality.
    
4. Impact on Children – Increased consumption of packaged foods is creating early dependence on high-salt diets, raising future risks of chronic illness.
    

Economic Costs and Potential Benefits

The financial implications of NCDs are enormous, straining both households and the healthcare system. However, salt reduction offers one of the highest health returns.

• WHO Estimate: Every $1 invested in salt-reduction initiatives saves $10 in future healthcare costs.
   
• Savings impact: Reduced burden of hospitalization, out-of-pocket expenses, and long-term treatment for chronic illnesses.
   

Challenges in Implementation:

1. Cultural Practices – Deep-rooted habits of consuming pickles, papads, and extra salt in meals.
    
2. Food Industry Resistance – Dependence on high salt, sugar, and fat to make products more palatable.
    
3. Awareness Gap – Public health messaging tends to prioritize sugar and fat, overshadowing salt-related risks.
    

Suggested Solutions and Strategies

To address this hidden health crisis, multi-level strategies are required:

1. Implement a national policy to reduce foods high in fat, salt, and sugar.
2. Launch public awareness campaigns encouraging less salt use and healthier substitutes like herbs and spices.
3. Mandate front-of-package warning labels on packaged foods for informed consumer choices.
4. Reform restaurants by removing salt shakers from tables and providing salt only on request.
    

Conclusion

Salt reduction is crucial for India’s health and economy, as excessive intake drives Non-Communicable Diseases. Coordinated action through regulation, industry responsibility, cultural change, transparent labeling, and global best practices can curb salt overload and improve public health.