WHO Releases Updated SHAKE Salt Reduction Package

Most people consume double the daily sodium limit, raising heart disease risk, new WHO package provides effective solution.

Excess sodium intake continues to contribute to millions of preventable deaths globally, prompting the World Health Organization (WHO) to release the second edition of SHAKE the salt habit, an updated technical package designed to help countries accelerate efforts to reduce high salt consumption, a major public health concern (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
WHO launches revamped SHAKE package to help reduce salt intake

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The acronym SHAKE represents Surveillance, Harness industry, Adopt standards for labelling and marketing, Knowledge, and Environment.

Most people around the world consume excessive amounts of sodium and live in food environments that encourage high salt intake. The SHAKE package brings together proven policy measures aimed at helping governments safeguard public health and reduce preventable deaths.

Global Sodium Intake and Health Risks

Average sodium intake worldwide is estimated to be more than double the WHO recommended daily limit of 2000 milligrams, which equals about 5 grams of salt or one teaspoon per day.

Excess sodium intake contributed to 1.7 million deaths in 2023 and remains one of the leading dietary risk factors for hypertension and cardiovascular disease worldwide.

Although health guidance often encourages people to reduce salt intake, food environments continue to make this difficult. Processed and packaged foods, along with many street foods, frequently contain high levels of sodium, increasing the likelihood of excessive consumption.

Urgent Need for Mandatory Sodium Policies

The global target of reducing sodium intake by 30% by 2030 remains off track. Currently, only 28% of the global population lives in countries that have mandatory sodium reduction policies in place.

Released during Salt Awareness Week 2026, the updated SHAKE package highlights the urgent need for stronger government-led measures to protect public health.

“Excess salt consumption remains among the top preventable drivers of death globally, and implementing mandatory policies to reduce sodium intake is one of the most cost-effective actions countries can take to protect people from cardiovascular disease,” said Luz Maria De Regil, Director of the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety at WHO.

“With the updated SHAKE the salt habit, WHO is equipping countries with practical, evidence-based tools to take decisive, government-led action and prevent millions of deaths each year.”

The revised package offers detailed guidance for lowering population sodium intake through evidence-based recommendations, practical resources, and examples from various countries. The guidance was developed through an extensive collaborative process.

The SHAKE framework emphasizes mandatory government-led action and structured national programs to coordinate sodium reduction efforts.

Food Industry Oversight and Public Health Measures

An important addition to the updated package is guidance on handling conflicts of interest involving the food industry. The document clearly states that the food industry should not be responsible for setting public health policies.

It also outlines ways to regulate products with excessive added sodium and includes detailed annexes covering data collection, enforcement strategies, and responses to common industry arguments.

“The second edition of SHAKE offers a practical menu of measures that countries can readily apply, with clear, step-by-step guidance, and strong opportunities to scale up mandatory approaches to reduce persistently high salt intake across the region,” said Xi Yin, Coordinator of the Health Promotion and Policy unit and Acting Lead for the Nutrition and Food Safety unit in the Division of Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Control at the WHO Regional Office for the Western Pacific.

“Several countries in the Western Pacific Region have drawn on SHAKE to inform their salt reduction efforts, grounded in country-specific data and experience, and we look forward to many more following their lead.”

Proven Measures Included in SHAKE Package

The SHAKE package combines the latest WHO guidelines and recommended interventions for preventing and controlling non-communicable diseases into a structured framework.

• These measures include food reformulation to set sodium limits for pre-packaged foods, front-of-pack labeling that clearly explains sodium content, and food procurement policies that limit high-sodium foods in public settings.
• Additional measures include restrictions on food marketing aimed at protecting children, taxation of unhealthy foods, behavior change communication campaigns, mass media awareness efforts, and the use of lower-sodium salt substitutes in suitable settings to replace regular table salt.

WHO is urging policymakers to adopt strong national sodium reduction goals and implement comprehensive programs that reshape food environments. The organization emphasizes that creating healthier food systems is essential for making reduced salt intake achievable for populations worldwide.

In conclusion, the second edition of the SHAKE technical package offers countries a practical, evidence-based framework to tackle high sodium intake through mandatory policies and proven interventions, aiming to prevent millions of deaths and transform food environments to make salt reduction achievable.

Reference:

1. WHO launches revamped SHAKE package to help reduce salt intake – (https://www.who.int/news/item/12-05-2026-who-launches-revamped-shake-package-to-help-reduce-salt-intake)

Source-Medindia