Table 1. Baseline assessments and implementation strategies by WHO Region.
| Country | Monitoring | Implementation Strategies | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baseline assessment | Salt intake (g/person/day) | Food reformulation | Consumer education | Front of Pack Labelling | Interventions in public institution settings | |
| World Health Organization African Region | ||||||
| Mauritius (P) [47] | SI/SL | 7.9 (2012 24h) | P | P | P | E/VG (sch/wk/ hosp) |
| South Africa [27, 48, 49] | SI/SL/KAB | 8.1 (2005 24h & DS) | T (M) | NGO | Logo (vol) | P |
| World Health Organization Region of the Americas[50, 51] | ||||||
| Argentina [52] | SI/SL/KAB | 11.2 (2011 24h) | T (vol/M) | Gov | No | E/PP/VG (sch/wk) |
| Barbados [20] | SI/SL/KAB | 12–15 (2010 unknown) | IM | Gov/ NGO | No | E/VG (sch/wk) |
| Brazil [53] | SI/SL/KAB | 11.8 (2002–3 & 2008–9 HS) | T (vol) | Gov | No | E/PP/VG (sch) |
| Canada [54] | SI/SL/KAB | 8.5 (2004 DS) a | T (vol) | Gov/ NGO | Logo (vol) | No |
| Chile [55] | SI/SL/KAB | 9.8 (2009–10 spot) | T (vol) | Gov | W (man) | E (sch) |
| Colombia (P) [56, 57] | SI b # | 11.8 (1988 24h) b | P | P | No | - |
| Costa Rica [58] | SI/SL/KAB | 9.3 (2004–5 HS) | IM | Gov | %DI (vol) | PP (sch) |
| Cuba | KAB | - | IM | Gov | - | PP (sch) |
| Ecuador [59] | SI/SL/KAB | 10 (DS) | T (vol) | - | TL (man) | - |
| Mexico | No | P | T (vol) | Gov | %DI (man) | PP (sch) |
| Paraguay [60] | SL/KAB | P | T (M) | Gov | No | E (sch/wk) |
| Suriname (P) [61] | No | P | - | Gov | P | - |
| United States [62–64] | SI/SL/KAB | 8.8 (2009–10 DS) | T (vol) | Gov/ NGO | % DI (vol) | E/PP/VG (sch/wk/ hosp) |
| Uruguay | SI/SL/KAB | 9.5 (2005–6 HS) | T (vol) | Gov | P | No |
| World Health Organization Eastern Mediterranean Region | ||||||
| Iran (P) [65] | SI b | 10.6 (2007 24h) b | P | Gov | No | E (sch) |
| Kuwait | SI/SL | 8.8 (m) 6.9 (w) (2010 DS) | T (Vol) | Gov | P | E/PP (sch/ wk/ hosp) |
| Morocco | SI/SL/KAB | Yes TBA (2013–14 24h & DS) | IM | NGO | P | No |
| World Health Organization European Region [26, 29] | ||||||
| Austria [66] | SI/SL/KAB | 8.7 (m) 7.6 (w) (2012 24h & DS) | T (vol) | Gov | No | VG (sch) |
| Belgium [67] | SI/SL/KAB | 10.45 (2009 24h) | T (vol/M) | Gov | Logo (vol) | No |
| Bulgaria | SI/SL/KAB | 13.8 (2004 DS) | T (vol/M) | Gov | %DI (vol) | PP (sch) |
| Croatia [68] | SI/SL | 12 (2010 DS) | T(vol)(bread) | Gov/ NGO | No | VG (sch) |
| Cyprus | SI | 5 (2005–8 DS) | IM | Gov | Yes (vol) | E (sch) |
| Czech Republic | SI/SL | 13.6 (2003–4 DS) | T (vol) | Gov | Logo (vol) | - |
| Denmark | SI/SL | 9.88 (m) 7.02 (w) (2010 median spot) | T (vol) | Gov | Logo (vol) | - |
| Estonia | SI/KAB | 10 (1997 DS) | P IM | Gov | %DI (vol) | PP (sch/ hosp) |
| Finland [69, 70] | SI/SL/KAB | 9 (m) 6.5 (w) (2012 DS) | T (vol) | Gov/ NGO | W (man) Logo (vol) | E/PP/VG (sch/ wk/hosp) |
| France [33] | SI/SL/KAB | 8.4 (2006–7 DS) | T (vol) | Gov | No | PP (sch) |
| Greece | SL/KAB | No | T (vol/M) | Gov | No | E/PP (sch) |
| Hungary [71] | SI/SL/KAB | 11.2 (m) 9.6 (w) (2010 24h) | T (vol/M) (bread) | Gov | Logo (vol) | PP (sch) |
| Iceland | SI | 9.5 (m) 6.5 (w) (2010–11 DS) | IM (bread) | Gov | - | - |
| Ireland [72] | SI/SL/KAB | 11.1 (m) 8.5 (w) (2008–10 DS & spot) a | T (vol) | Gov | %DI (vol) | E (sch) |
| Israel | SI/SL/KAB | 7 (1999–2001 DS) | T (vol) | Gov | P | E/PP (sch/ wk/ hosp) |
| Italy [73] | SI/SL/KAB | 10.6 (m) 8.2 (w) (2009–11 24h) | T (vol) | Gov/ NGO | No | P |
| Latvia [74] | SI/SL/KAB | 7.1 (2007 DS) | IM | Gov | %DI (vol) | PP (sch/ hosp) |
| Lithuania [75] | SI/SL/KAB | 8.75 (2007 DS) | T (vol) | Gov/ NGO | Logo (vol) | E/PP (sch) |
| Luxembourg | SI/SL | 9.1 (2007–8 DS) | IM | Gov | - | E (sch) |
| Macedonia | SI | 14 (2011 IE) | No | P | No | P |
| Malta [57] | SI b /KAB | 9.7 (1988 24h) b | P IM | Gov | No | P |
| Montenegro | No | P | IM | - | - | - |
| Netherlands | SI/SL/KAB | 10.7 (m) 7.8 (w) (2010 24h) | T (vol)/ T(M) (bread) | NGO/ Industry | Logo (vol) / %DI (vol) | VG (sch/ wk) |
| Norway | SI/SL/KAB | 10 (2010–11 DS) | IM | Gov | Logo (vol) | P |
| Poland | SI/SL/KAB | 10.9 (2009 IE) | T (vol) | Gov/ NGO | Logo (vol)/ GDA (vol) | E/VG (sch/ hosp) |
| Portugal [76] | SI/KAB/SL (bread) | 10.7 (2012 24h) | T (vol/M) (bread) | Gov | TL (M) | E/VG (sch/ wk) |
| Romania | SI | 11.25 (2010 DS) | IM | Gov | - | PP (sch) |
| Slovakia | SI | 9.5 (m) 6.5 (w) (2011 DS) | IM | NGO | No | - |
| Slovenia [77] | SI/SL/KAB | 11.3 (2012 24h) | T (vol) | Gov | - | E/PP (sch/ wk/ hosp) |
| Spain [78] | SI/SL | 9.7 (2009 24h) | T (vol) | Gov | No | PP (sch) |
| Sweden | SI/SL | 10–12 (2011 DS) | T (vol) | Gov | Logo (vol) | PP/VG (sch/ wk) |
| Switzerland [79] | SI/SL | 9.1 (2011 24h) | IM | Gov/ NGO | No | VG (sch/ wk/ hosp) |
| Turkey [31] | SI/SL | 15 (2012 24h) | T (vol) | Gov | Logo (P) | E/VG (sch/ wk/ hosp) |
| United Kingdom [80–82] | SI/SL/KAB | 8.1 (2011 24h) | T (vol) | Gov | TL (vol) /%DI (vol) | E/PP (sch) |
| World Health Organization South East Asia Region [83, 84] | ||||||
| Bangladesh | SI b /KAB | 10–11 (2012 24h) b | IM (NGO) | NGO | No | No |
| Bhutan (short term strategies) | No | No | No | Gov | No | E (sch) |
| Indonesia (P) | SI | 15 (2012 unknown) | IM | Gov/ NGO | %DI (vol)/ W (man) | P |
| Myanmar (Burma) (P) | SI | 6–8 (2012 unknown) | No | Gov | No | - |
| Sri Lanka | SI b /SL | 8.3; 8.9 (urban; rural 2012 24h) b | IM/ P T (M) | Gov | TL (P) | VG (wk/ hosp) |
| Thailand [85] | SI/SL | 10.8 (2009 DS) | IM | Gov | %DI (man) | E (sch/ hosp) |
| World Health Organization Western Pacific Region [86] | ||||||
| Australia [87, 88] | SI/SL/KAB | 8.9 (2011 24h) b | T (vol) | NGO | %DI/Logo (vol) | VG (sch/ wk/ hosp) |
| China [44] | SI/SL/KAB | 12 (2009 DS) | No | Gov | %DI (vol) | - |
| Confederation of Northern Mariana Islands (P) | No | No | No | Gov/ NGO | No | E/PP/VG (sch) |
| Cook Islands | SI/SL/KAB | Yes (2013–14 24h) | T (vol) | Gov | No | E/PP (sch/wk) |
| FSM | No | No | IM | Gov | No | E (sch/ wk/ hosp) |
| Fiji | SI/KAB | 9.4 (2012–13 24h) | T (vol) | Gov | P | E/VG (sch/ wk/ hosp) |
| French Polynesia | No | No | P | Gov | No | E (sch/ wk) |
| Guam (P) | No | P | P | Gov | P | P |
| Japan [43] | SI | 10.4 (2012 DS) | IM | Gov/ NGO | No | No |
| Kiribati (P) | SL | No | No | Gov | No | No |
| Korea [89] | SI/SL/KAB | 11.6 (2012 DS) | T (vol) | Gov | %DI (vol)/ TL (man) | E/PP (sch/wk) |
| Malaysia | SI/SL | 6.4 (2003 DS) | IM | Gov/ NGO | P | E/PP (sch/ hosp) |
| Marshall Islands | No | No | No | Gov | P | E/VG (sch) |
| Mongolia [90] | SI/SL/KAB | 11 (2011 24h) | T (vol) | Gov | - | E/VG (wk) |
| Nauru | No | No | No | Gov | No | E (sch) |
| New Caledonia | KAB | No | IM | Gov | No | E (sch/ hosp) |
| New Zealand [91] | SI/SL/KAB | 8.57 (2012 24h) | T(vol) (NGO) | Gov/ NGO | %DI/Logo (vol) | No |
| Palau | No | P | No | P | No | P |
| Samoa (P) | SI/SL/KAB | 6.9 (2013 24h) | P | Gov | P | P |
| Singapore [83, 92] | SI/SL/KAB | 8.3 (2010 24h) | IM | Gov/ NGO | Logo (vol) | E/VG (sch) |
| Solomon Islands | No | No | P | Gov | No | P |
| Tonga | No | No | P | Gov | No | E (sch) |
| Tuvalu | SL | P | No | Gov | No | E (sch) |
| Vanuatu (P) | SL | No | P | P | No | E (sch) |
| Vietnam | SI b /SL/KAB | 15.3 (2012 spot) b | P | Gov | No | E (sch) |
P–Planned; SI-population salt intakes; SL–salt level in foods; DS–dietary survey; HS–household survey; 24h–24 hour urines; spot—spot urines; IE–indirect estimate of salt intake; KAB—consumer knowledge, attitude or behaviour; m–men; w—women
a includes discretionary salt
b not nationally representative
T—sodium content targets for foods; IM—industry meetings; Vol—voluntary; M–mandatory; NGO—non-governmental organization; Gov–government; %DI—percentage daily intake labelling (or Guideline daily amount in some countries); TL—traffic light labelling; W—high salt warning labels; E—education; PP—food procurement policy with sodium standards; VG—voluntary guidelines for sodium in foods; Sch—school settings; Wk—workplace settings; Hosp—hospital settings.
Dashes (-) indicate not aware of program. Each country’s population salt intake listed is based on the most current nationally representative assessment where available.