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Effective and Scalable Interventions to Reduce Sodium Intake: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

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Abstract

Purpose of Review

High-sodium intake is a main risk factor for increased blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, the leading cause of death worldwide. Reducing sodium intake at the population level is one of the most cost-effective strategies to address this. The aim of the present systematic review and meta-analysis are to examine data from recent studies that measure the effectiveness and scalability of interventions aimed at reducing sodium intake at both the population and individual level.

Recent Findings

Worldwide, sodium intake is higher than the World Health Organization recommendations. Structural interventions such as mandatory reformulation of foods, food labeling, taxes or subsidies, and communication campaigns have shown to be the most effective in reducing the population’s sodium consumption.

Summary

Interventions in education, particularly those that use a social marketing framework with short duration, food reformulation, and combined strategies, have the potential to decrease sodium intake.

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Data Availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, ED-G, upon reasonable request.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigación en Nutrición y Salud, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Avenida Universidad #655, Cuernavaca, México

    Jorge Vargas-Meza, Alejandra Gonzalez-Rocha, Ismael Campos-Nonato, Simón Barquera & Edgar Denova-Gutiérrez

  2. El Poder del Consumidor A.C., Ciudad de México, México

    Jorge Vargas-Meza

  3. Nucleo de Pesquisas Epidemiológicas em Nutrição e Saúde, Faculdade de Saúde Pública, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil

    Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson

  4. Centro de Investigación en Salud Poblacional, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, México

    Ana Basto-Abreu

  5. Programa de Alimentação, Nutrição e Cultura, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz), Brasilia, Brazil

    Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson

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  1. Jorge Vargas-Meza
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Correspondence to Edgar Denova-Gutiérrez.

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Vargas-Meza, J., Gonzalez-Rocha, A., Campos-Nonato, I. et al. Effective and Scalable Interventions to Reduce Sodium Intake: a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Curr Nutr Rep 12, 486–494 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13668-023-00477-w

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