New Delhi, Sep 2 : Experts from the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) and Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) are in talks to introduce a policy to address the critical public health challenge of salt reduction while also maintaining adequate iodine nutrition across the the country.

The experts contended on harmonising salt reduction and iodine intake in India at a consultative meeting -- led by a consortium of partners Nutrition International and World Health Organization-India, Resolve to Save Lives and Iodine Global Network -- held in the national capital last week.

The policy aims to form the foundation for reducing salt intake to prevent the rising cardiovascular diseases in the country while also aligning it with the goals of universal salt iodisation to avert iodine deficiency disorders.

"India's public health and nutrition policies have always addressed population needs. Moving forward, a policy-based approach that balances salt reduction with adequate iodine supplementation is essential for better health outcomes,' said Dr. Shikha Vardhan, Assistant Director General, NP-NCD, in her keynote address.

The WHO recommends that the dietary salt consumption should be less than 5 g (an equivalent of 2 g of sodium) per person per day. However, recent data on salt intake levels in India show consumption to be almost double the recommended amount. This is also a leading cause of hypertension which unfortunately today affects an estimated 220 million people in India.

Vardhan said the 'meeting is timely, as the Directorate General of Health Services is revising the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Control Programme guidelines to ensure optimal iodine nutrition'.

Dr. Alka Rao, Advisor (Regulations, Science & Standards), FSSAI noted that the regulator 'is dedicated to creating regulations that promote salt reduction while ensuring iodine nutrition".

Rao also mentioned its initiatives like Eat Right campaign which 'reflect India's commitment to encouraging healthier choices'.

The meeting included policymakers, experts, and practitioners who discussed the importance of coordinated policy development and effective implementation. They also listed the challenges in harmonising these interventions and called for more nationally representative data on sodium and iodine intake that could aid in making informed policy decisions and tailoring interventions effectively.

/IANS