WHO Warns World Still 'Off Track' on Salt Reduction as New Global Strategy Targets Millions of Preventable Deaths

The World Health Organization (WHO) has launched a major new global strategy to tackle excessive salt consumption, warning that high sodium intake remains one of the world’s leading preventable causes of death and that governments must adopt stronger mandatory regulations to avoid millions of future deaths from heart disease and stroke.

The agency today released the second edition of SHAKE the Salt Habit, a comprehensive technical package designed to help countries implement evidence-based sodium reduction policies amid growing concerns over rising cardiovascular disease and unhealthy food environments worldwide.

The updated framework arrives as the world remains significantly behind on achieving WHO’s target of reducing global sodium intake by 30 per cent by 2030.

Excess Salt Consumption Linked to 1.7 Million Deaths

WHO estimates that average global sodium intake currently exceeds recommended levels by more than double, with most people consuming far more salt than is considered safe.

According to the organization:

• WHO recommends a maximum intake of:

  • 2,000 mg of sodium per day

  • Equivalent to approximately:

    • 5 grams of salt

    • About one teaspoon daily

• Current global average intake is more than twice that level

• Excess sodium consumption contributed to approximately:

  • 1.7 million deaths in 2023

High sodium intake is considered one of the leading dietary risk factors for:

• Hypertension

• Cardiovascular disease

• Stroke

• Kidney disease

• Premature mortality

Public health officials warn that excessive sodium exposure is increasingly driven not by individual behaviour alone, but by modern food systems dominated by processed, packaged and restaurant foods containing high levels of hidden salt.

WHO Says Individuals Cannot Solve Problem Alone

The agency emphasized that unhealthy food environments make it extremely difficult for consumers to reduce sodium intake without government intervention.

“Excess salt consumption remains among the top preventable drivers of death globally,” said Dr Luz Maria De Regil, Director of WHO’s Department of Nutrition and Food Safety.

“Implementing mandatory policies to reduce sodium intake is one of the most cost-effective actions countries can take to protect people from cardiovascular disease,” she said.

WHO officials stressed that while public awareness campaigns remain important, systemic food policy reforms are essential because consumers often have limited control over sodium levels embedded in commercially produced foods.

World Falling Behind on 2030 Sodium Reduction Target

The updated report warns that progress toward the global sodium reduction target remains alarmingly slow.

Currently:

• Only 28 per cent of the world’s populationlives in countries with mandatory sodium reduction policies

WHO says most governments still rely heavily on voluntary industry measures, which often fail to achieve meaningful reductions in sodium content.

The agency is now urging countries to adopt stronger mandatory approaches including regulation, labelling and food reformulation requirements.

The new SHAKE package was launched during Salt Awareness Week 2026, underscoring the urgency of accelerating action.

New SHAKE Framework Pushes Stronger Government-Led Regulation

The updated SHAKE package provides governments with a detailed roadmap for implementing national sodium reduction programmes.

The framework is built around the SHAKE acronym:

• Surveillance

• Harness industry

• Adopt standards for labelling and marketing

• Knowledge

• Environment

The revised guidance places significantly greater emphasis on:

• Mandatory regulation

• Government-led implementation

• Enforcement systems

• Population-wide interventions

• Accountability measures

WHO says the framework combines the latest scientific evidence, practical implementation tools and real-world country examples.

Tougher Position on Food Industry Influence

One of the most notable additions to the updated package is explicit guidance on managing conflicts of interest involving the food industry.

WHO states clearly that:

• The food industry should not set public health policy

• Governments must regulate high-sodium products

• Industry resistance and lobbying must be addressed carefully

The package includes detailed guidance on:

• Countering common industry arguments

• Managing corporate influence

• Designing enforcement systems

• Monitoring compliance

Health advocates have increasingly argued that voluntary food industry commitments alone have failed to sufficiently reduce sodium levels globally.

Package Includes Broad Range of Policy Tools

The updated SHAKE framework outlines a comprehensive set of interventions designed to reshape food environments and reduce population-level sodium exposure.

Recommended measures include:

Food Reformulation

• Mandatory sodium targets for packaged foods

Front-of-Pack Labelling

• Clear interpretive warning labels about sodium content

Public Procurement Policies

• Restrictions on high-sodium foods in schools, hospitals and public institutions

Marketing Restrictions

• Limits on advertising unhealthy foods to children

Taxation Policies

• Taxes on unhealthy high-sodium products

Public Education Campaigns

• Mass media behaviour-change programmes

Lower-Sodium Salt Substitutes

• Promotion of healthier salt alternatives in appropriate settings

WHO says combining multiple interventions produces the strongest public health outcomes.

Western Pacific Countries Already Using SHAKE Framework

WHO officials highlighted growing implementation efforts in parts of the Western Pacific region, where several countries have already used earlier SHAKE guidance to inform sodium reduction strategies.

Xi Yin, Acting Lead for Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO’s Western Pacific Regional Office, said the updated package offers practical implementation support for governments.

“The second edition of SHAKE offers a practical menu of measures that countries can readily apply, with clear, step-by-step guidance, and strong opportunities to scale up mandatory approaches,” Xi Yin said.

Cardiovascular Disease Remains World’s Leading Killer

WHO’s renewed push reflects broader global concern over the growing burden of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), which account for the majority of deaths worldwide.

Cardiovascular diseases alone kill an estimated 20 million people annually, making them the world’s leading cause of death.

Public health experts increasingly view sodium reduction as one of the most cost-effective large-scale prevention measures available.

WHO argues that stronger sodium policies could deliver major benefits by:

• Reducing healthcare costs

• Preventing strokes and heart attacks

• Improving life expectancy

• Lowering pressure on health systems

• Improving population health outcomes

WHO Calls for “Bold Action” From Governments

The agency is now urging policymakers worldwide to move beyond voluntary commitments and implement comprehensive national sodium reduction programmes backed by enforceable regulation.

WHO says governments must transform food environments so healthier choices become the default option rather than relying solely on individual responsibility.

“With the updated SHAKE the salt habit, WHO is equipping countries with practical, evidence-based tools to take decisive, government-led action and prevent millions of deaths each year,” Dr De Regil said.

As diet-related disease rates continue rising globally, the organization warns that sodium reduction policies could become one of the defining public health battlegrounds of the next decade.