By OLUWAFUNKE ISHOLA

Stakeholders in the health sector have appealed to Nigerians to cut back on their salt intake to reduce the burden of non-communicable diseases among citizens.

They said this on Thursday during a ‘Journalism Training on Salt Reduction and Front-of-Pack Labelling (FOPL) in Nigeria’, held in Lagos.

The event was organised by Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), with support from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI).

Mr Femi Stephen, Food Safety Technical Lead, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said salt intake among Nigerians, at 3.9 grams per day, exceeded the 2 grams per day recommended by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

He, however, said many Nigerians exceed this recommended amount, primarily due to the high sodium content in processed and packaged foods.

Excess salt intake, he said, posed a significant health challenge, driving 38.1 per cent of hypertension among adult Nigerians.

According to him, hypertension is a major risk factor for heart diseases, stroke and other cardiovascular conditions, stressing that the condition affects individuals’ health, places a burden on the economic and health system.

“That’s the reason why cardiology is one of the fastest rising medical specialties as more hospitals are placing demand for cardiologists because of the increasing numbers of people with the condition.”

Stephen said the ministry inaugurated the National Guidelines for Sodium Reduction which proposed a phased approach to sodium reduction with a target of 30 per cent by 2030.

To achieve this, he noted that the country adopted WHO’s SHAKE Roadmap, a multifaceted guideline that promotes healthier dietary habits using five components of surveillance, industry cuts, standards, awareness, and environment.

Stephen noted that food produced by manufacturers must conform to certain benchmark standards, urging the media to hold stakeholders accountable to the targets, and humanise the impact through their report.

“Every report, every headline brings us closer to a 30 per cent sodium reduction and countless lives saved.”

Similarly, Bukola Odele, Programme Officer, Cardiovascular Health at CAPPA, noted that sodium was vital for nerve function and fluid balance, but excessive intake increases risks of hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

Odele spoke on ‘Salt Target, Front-of-Pack Labelling as Policy Tools for Combating Non-Communicable Disease Burden.’

She disclosed that most salt in the diet is hidden in condiments such as seasoning cubes (bouillon); MSG preservatives, baking soda, and other food additives; and processed foods.

According to her, labels on packaged and processed foods should serve as a guide that assists consumers understand composition of a product for a healthy choice.

She, however, said the Back of Pack Label, which is a commonly used label in Nigeria, does not deliver the most important nutritional information.

“To help consumers, there’s a need to shift to the Front-of-Pack labels that give the critical information in a simple, clear, and useful manner. This is what puts power in the hands of the consumer and drives healthy consumption.”

Also, Dr Jerome Mafeni, Technical Advisor, Network for Health Equity and Development (NHED), emphasised that nutrition labelling is one of the policy tools that can support healthy diets.

Mafeni noted that the Back of Pack label nutritional information widely available in the country is not legible for consumers to easily read, urging manufacturers to improve on it.

The Executive Director of CAPPA, Oluwafemi Akinbode, said the training was designed to equip journalists and media practitioners with the knowledge and tools necessary to effectively report and advocate for policies that promote healthier food environments in the country. (NAN)