Group warns against health dangers of excessive salt intake

The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), has alerted the public over the increased cases of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Nigeria, linked to excessive salt in-takes.

The CAPPA Executive Director, Mr Akinbode Oluwafemi, spoke at a two-day workshop organised by the organisation for journalists in Port Harcourt on Monday.

Oluwafemi said that the workshop was organised in partnership with Global Health Advocacy Incubator, Network for Health Equity and Development, National Agency for Drug Administration and Control, Center for Communications and Social Impact, and University of Abuja.

According to him, the workshop with the theme, “Salt/FOPL Journalism Training on Industry Interference and Response Building” is aimed at urging journalists to inform and educate the public on the dangers of excessive consumption of salt to their health.

He said: “Nigerians consume far more salt than the WHO’s recommended daily limit of five grams, with most of the excess salt hidden in processed foods.

He called for the implementation of mandatory salt targets for processed and pre-packaged foods and the introduction of front-of-pack labels to empower Nigerians to make healthier food choices.

The CAPPA boss also warned against the growing influence of food corporations on policy making and advocacy processes, which could undermine efforts to combat non-comimicable diseases.

Also, a Medical Practitioner and Public Health Consultant, Dr Joseph Ekiyor, spoke on the topic, “Health Burden of Excessive Salt Consumption”.

Ekiyor raised concerns that a significant percentage of Nigerians consume excess salt, largely from processed foods, which increases the risk of heart attacks, strokes, and vascular diseases.

He said that WHO recommended less than five grams of salt daily, being equivalent to a level teaspoon.

He said that non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, are the leading causes of deaths globally, disproportionately affecting low and middle-income countries.

Ekiyor emphasised the need for policies to regulate salt intake in processed foods and called on the government to ensure that food industries adopted healthier practices.

In a remark, Dr Jerome Mafeni, the Technical Advisor, Network for Health Equity and Development, urged media practitioners to investigate and report on the dangers of excessive sodium consumption.

“Journalists should drive a campaign educating the public to cut down on their excessive use of salt, to reduce the rate of non-communicable diseases among citizens.

Mafeni also emphasised the need for policy makers to put in place regulations to protect public health, and for consumers to make informed choices about the food products they purchase.

He outlined fruitful efforts made by NHED, through persistence and strategic engagement, in spite facing resistance from industry players and bureaucratic bottlenecks during stakeholders engagement.