Mongolia Launches the Population Based Salt- Intake Survey Report
On 20 December, 2012 – Ulaanbaatar – Ministry of Health of Mongolia, World Health Organization and Millennium Challenge Account's Health project and National Public health centre launched "Mongolia salt intake of population and reduce approach survey in 2011".
Non communicable diseases (NCD) such as hypertension, ischemic hard diseases, stroke, diabetes and cancer have already appeared as important public health problems in Mongolia. The incidences of stroke and cardiovascular diseases have been increasing year by year and are becoming the leading cause of mortality. Findings show that 27.3% of the 15-64 aged population of Mongolia has arterial hypertension, 1 in 3 males above 25 years old and 1 in 2 people above 45 years old had arterial hypertension, 27.3% of them were overweight, and 12.5% were obese (“Mongolian steps survey on the prevalence of NCD and injury risk factors” national survey, MOH, WHO and, National Center for Public Health).
The ‘Regional consultation on strategies to reduce salt intake’ that was approved in 2010 by WPRO WHO, the World Health Organization recommended all member countries and governments to determine the actual salt intake of the population along with salt-source foods by identifying the salt content of foods and reduce the average salt intake of the population by designing national salt reduction plans and strategies. The ‘National NCD Prevention and Control Programme’ which was approved by Resolution #246 in 2005 stated in Article 3.2.6.2 it was stated “… to take necessary action to reduce salt intake”; in Article 5.2 it was stated “… to reduce salt consumption to 9.1 gram/day by 2013”. This shows that there is a need to conduct “Salt Intake of the Population-Reduce Approach” survey.
The goal of the survey was to determine the actual mean salt intake of a Mongolian population. The objectives of the survey were following:
- To determine the sodium excretion level in 24-hour urine samples in the 25 to 64 year-old age range of selected provinces
- To identify major salt source foods
- To investigate salt contents of certain types of foods and meals.
The participants found that the survey findings and lessons learnt would be very useful for further action actions and planning, implementation and monitoring and evaluation of national programme on salt reduction and NCD prevention and contol.
