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World Action on Salt. Sugar & Health

Kuwait

2015

WASH members Dr Nawal Alhamad, Dr Elsayed Almalt and colleagues have published an overview of salt reduction activities in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.  Below is a summary of activities from Kuwait, from this overview.

The Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) part of the Ministry of Health is the main governmental body responsible for salt reduction. Data suggests that the main source of salt in the Kuwaiti diet is discretionary salt, followed by bread. Most bread (80%) is produced by the Kuwait Flour Mills and Bakeries Company (KFMBC), who use a standard recipe. The FNA and the KFMBC implemented a salt reduction programme for bread, and achieved a 10% reduction in March 2013, followed by a further 10% reduction in August 2013.  

Kuwait imports more than 95% of consumed food. A plan to advocate partnership and engage food companies with health awareness activities has been put in place. Conversations regarding salt reduction are taking place with the major restaurant franchise operators in the country.

2014

In 2010, the baseline salt intake in Kuwait was found to be as high as 12-15g/day, with almost a quarter of adults aged 20-49 having high blood pressure as well as more than 60% of men aged over 50. Therefore, in 2013, the Food and Nutrition Administration began working with the Kuwait Flour Mills and Bakeries Company to reduce the salt content of bread, and set up the Salt and Fat Intake Reduction Task Force (SIRTF) which had input from WASH Chairman Prof Graham MacGregor. By the end of 2013, there had been a 20% reduction in the salt content of bread, with a further 10% cut planned for the end of 2014. For more information, please click here.

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