Consumption of Fast Food and Pre-prepared Meals Cause of High Salt Intake, Say Doctors on World Hypertension Day, May 17
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: UAE doctors are warning that the public is eating too much salt, estimating that on average people are consuming up to 2 grammes more sodium per day than is internationally recommended - increasing their risk of developing high blood pressure which leads to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and diabetes.
High salt intake is estimated to be the cause of around one third of hypertension cases, worldwide. The World Health Organisation recommends an average daily intake of 5 grammes of salt per day. However, in the UAE the average intake of dietary salt is estimated to be around 7 g/pd, according to medical experts.
This high intake of dietary salt has been linked to an increase in consumption of fast food and pre-packaged meals in the UAE over recent years - these foods not only contain high levels of fat but also high levels of sodium (salt).
"Medical estimates put the average consumption of salt in the UAE at 7 grammes per day, which is significantly higher than internationally recommended levels. The need to cut dietary salt is an issue that we urgently need to highlight in the UAE as more people adopt Western lifestyles, which involves an increase in the consumption of packaged, restaurant and fast foods that contain high levels of sodium," warned Dr. Wael Almahmeed, a Cardiologist at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, Abu Dhabi, and President of Emirates Cardiac Society (ECS).
"Too much dietary salt is a major risk factor for developing hypertension, but people can lower this risk by not adding salt to their food. Hypertension increases the risk of developing stroke, heart disease, in the form of heart attacks and heart failure, and kidney problems, which if left untreated can lead to kidney failure and the need for dialysis, as well as possible loss of sight," added Dr. Arif Al Mulla, Head of Cardiology at Dubai Hospital.
Prevalence data cited by UAE doctors suggests that up to 27.9 percent of the country's population over the age of 18 suffer from high blood pressure [1], which is known as the 'silent killer', because it has no obvious symptoms but increases the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and diabetes, all of which reduce life expectancy.
"Because of modern lifestyles, which involve eating more fast foods that contain high levels of salt, our children are at a higher risk of high blood pressure at an early age. People should have their blood pressure checked annually and even more regularly if they suffer from obesity, stress and a family history of the disease, which puts you at an even higher risk of developing hypertension," concluded Dr. Abdulla Shehab, Director of Continuing Medical Education for the ECS, and the Faculty of Medicine at UAE University, Al Ain.
Thousands of UAE residents have undergone free blood pressure screening and education in the past week at nine different events held at hospitals, private companies and shopping malls across the country, with the support of Novartis, the global sponsors of this year's World Hypertension Day.
"Globally about seven million people die every year because of high blood pressure, often simply because they were not diagnosed early enough. This is why Novartis is dedicated to raising public awareness of hypertension and ensuring that people are screened, diagnosed and treated as soon possible, to help prevent the onset of chronic diseases that claim lives," said Dr. Ahmed Amin, Medical Director, Novartis Middle East.
International guidelines recommend that blood pressure levels should be kept below 140/80 mmHg in non-diabetic patients and 130/80 mmHg in diabetic patients.
Research:
[1] The prevalence of hypertension in different geographical regions of Saudi Arabia. Annals of Saudi Medicine.1998;18 (5):401-7.
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About Novartis:
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Novartis provides healthcare solutions that address the evolving needs of patients and societies. Focused solely on healthcare Novartis offers a diversified portfolio to best meet these needs: innovative medicines, cost-saving generic pharmaceuticals, preventive vaccines, diagnostic tools and consumer health products. Novartis is the only company with leading positions in all these areas. In 2009, the Group invested approximately USD 7.5 billion in R&D activities. The Novartis Group companies employ approximately 100,000 full-time associates and operate in more than 140 countries around the world.
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