Comparative assessment of sources of dietary salt in Armenia

Excessive use of dietary salt is the major cause of high blood pressure (BP), whereas a reduction in salt intake lowers BP, reducing thereby BP-related disease. This paper presents a brief overview of comprehensive reviews and original articles, as well as the World Health Organization reports that highlight the above public health challenge and describe critical elements of successful salt reduction programmes. Also, the study provides experimental data on salt levels in major salt-containing processed foods, commonly consumed in Armenia. Based on average concentrations of salt in foods, the average daily intake of salt from products is calculated using the percent product weight as salt multiplied by the estimated average daily intake of the product. Then, the contribution (%) of each product to daily salt intake is estimated. The main sources of salt consumption, such as bread, cheese, processed meat and preserved vegetables are recommended to be targeted for a salt reduction programme in the country.