Four ways Hongkongers can reduce the salt in their diets, and why we need to

Eating too much salt increases the risk of becoming obese, having a stroke or suffering from heart disease, hypertension, and kidney problems. Here’s how to have a less salty diet

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Eating too much salt is bad for you, doctors say, but it should only take six to eight weeks to get used to having less salt in your food. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 5:01pm, 26 Jun 2017Updated: 5:31pm, 26 Jun 2017

While governments, retailers and even restaurants can advise us about the importance of maintaining healthy eating habits, at the end of the day the responsibility for doing so lies with us. Despite the World Health Organisation warning that processed meats, luncheon meat and sausages contain carcinogens, they remain popular daily choices for many Hongkongers. Now we’ve also been warned their salt content is high.

The Consumer Council has warned of high sodium levels in luncheon meat and sausages. Photo: Alamy

Earlier this month, the Consumer Council said it had found high levels of salt in luncheon meat and sausages, having tested 33 samples of locally sold brands and found that 80 per cent exceeded the standard (sodium content of more than 600 milligrams per 100 grams is considered high) used by the UK’s Food Standards Agency.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends adults consume a maximum of 5 grams of salt daily (equivalent to one teaspoon, or to 2,300 mg of sodium); the limit for children is lower. The average Hongkonger consumes about 10 grams of salt a day – twice the amount recommended by the WHO – according to two studies by universities in the city. WHO members have committed to reducing salt intake by 30 per cent by 2025.

Although the body has the ability to regulate sodium levels, if we consistently consume too much salt it can be bad for our health.

People who eat out often are more likely to consume too much salt – which, over time, may increase their risk of suffering from obesity, coronary heart disease, and kidney problems, and of having a stroke, according to the Hong Kong Consumer Council’s research committee.

High salt intake has long been a problem in Hong Kong. Surveys conducted by the Census and Statistics Department show that the proportion of the population with known hypertension increased from 9.3 per cent in 2008 to 12.6 per cent in 2014. Reducing salt in our diets has been recognised by the WHO as one of the most effective ways to lower high blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.