8 in 10 Singaporeans consume too much salt

SINGAPORE - Eight in 10 Singaporeans consume too much salt in their food on a daily basis.

The Health Promotion Board's (HPB) latest Salt Intake Study discovered that the average individual's daily salt intake was 8.3g. This is more than 60 per cent above the recommended level.

The recommended daily salt intake for adults is 5g per day.

The Salt Intake Study comprised over 800 individuals aged between 18 and 79 years.

Data also showed that those in the 30- to 49-year-old age group consumed the most salt, averaging at about 9g daily. Males have been found to consume more salt as well, about 10g a day, compared to females who consume about 7g a day.

Most of the salt (60 per cent) in the local diet comes from table salt and sauces. Of this, almost two-thirds are consumed outside of the home.

Processed food, especially fish balls, fish cakes, breads and noodles are estimated to contribute another 37 per cent of the population's salt intake. The remainder is the salt found naturally in fresh food.

Excessive consumption of salt is a key risk factor for the development of hypertension, which could cause strokes, heart attack and kidney failure.