Data gathered by the ARS/Algarve claims 36 percent of Algarvians add salt to their meals, a practice that the health board says raises an already-high consumption of salt in food, particularly among men.
The high consumption of extra salt verified in the Algarve has spurred the regional branch of the Public Health Department’s National Healthy Eating Programme to launch the ‘Flavour without a Salt Shaker’ campaign.
Citing data from the National Health Survey with Physical Examinations (INSEF), the Health Board stressed 7.7 percent of Portuguese respondents admitted to adding salt to their food dish by using the salt shaker.
The study reveals that the pattern of additional salt consumption differs between sexes, age groups, work situations, and in the different regions of the country, being most prevalent among men in the 25 to 34 age group, among employed persons and in the Algarve region.
“Even when diagnosed with high blood pressure, 13.7 percent of respondents said they added salt to their food. Among the various regions, the habits shows great asymmetries, varying between 9.2 percent in the North and 35.8 percent in the Algarve”, it concludes.
The public health campaign, promoted by ARS/Algarve nutritionists, aims to “inform the population about the importance of reducing the use of the salt shaker on the table, encouraging people to reduce salt consumption, and use more aromatic foods.”
It also aims to promote the acquisition of healthier eating habits, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease and improving health status.