National Salt en
National Salt en
June 2009
On 1 July 2008 the High Level Group on Diet, Physical Activity and Health adopted an EU framework for national salt initiatives. High Level Group members were asked to complete a template sent out by the Commission after the adoption, describing the individual national salt initiatives in more detail. This document includes the framework itself, followed by an overview table summarising the content of the templates and finally all completed templates that the Commission received, explaining the different national salt reduction initiatives. At the end of the document, the blank template that was sent out is attached.
Why a European framework? The overall goal of the EU framework on salt reduction is to contribute towards reduced salt intake at population level in order to achieve the national or WHO recommendations. Data from Member States bring to light that the current salt intake levels are clearly exceeding the WHO maximum limit of 5 g per day. A high salt intake is among the factors increasing the risk to develop certain chronic diseases. In some Member States the current national data basis may be insufficient to judge the magnitude of the problem. In other cases, national data might show that the population salt intake is close to the WHO recommended maximum level. To consolidate the mapping of the situation, it is possible for Member States to carry out 24h urinary sodium excretion surveys. However, even if the data picture is not fully clear yet, engaging in salt reduction is seen as a no regrets move. Participation of Member States in this common framework is entirely voluntary. Participating countries can work within the framework as a large group towards this common goal. It should support and reinforce national plans, as it will enable comparison of progress across the EU while maintaining flexibility for Member States to shape their national approaches to salt reduction. The framework will enable to give coordinated messages for reformulation of food products to the industry across Europe and help to generate momentum and measurable action. Focussing on salt reduction should not distract from the attention given to nor the efforts put into product reformulation in order to change the content of other nutrients in foods, such as reducing the content of total fat, saturated fatty acids, trans-fatty acids or sugars.
General Principles The framework builds on five key elements of salt reduction initiatives, as well as on common, shared minimum benchmarks for salt reduction and shared learning, profiting from experiences of Member States. Engagement with stakeholders at European and national level is encouraged and is seen as essential for success. In order to maximise the impact of salt reformulation food manufacturers are asked prioritise the products with the largest market share. Furthermore, care should be taken that salt reduction is delivered across the full range of food products from premium to economy items so that all population groups can benefit.
Five key elements Five key elements of a comprehensive approach towards salt reduction are identified. The elements are seen as simultaneous and interconnected strands of action, meaning that a lack of data should not prevent progress in the other strands of national action. Feedback should be given to the
Commission. The HLG members shall commit to work simultaneously on the five following elements of the framework. Fig.1: Simultaneous and interconnected strands of national action
feedback EU level actions National decision to act on salt
industry/catering
1) Data: Member States investigate the national data available on salt consumption, current salt levels of foods, and food groups that are the major salt contributors of the national diet. They decide which data needs to be collected in order to fill the gaps. 2) Benchmarks & major food categories to focus action on: It would be difficult to establish targets for salt content levels of foods at European level, as starting points may differ considerably from one Member State to another and time required to reach a certain level may vary considerably. Therefore, at European level, a benchmark for overall salt reduction of a minimum of 16% in 4 years against the individual baseline levels in 2008 has been established, applicable to all food products as well as to food consumed in restaurants and catering facilities such as canteens. This is seen as being realistic and achievable in view of experiences with salt reduction in some Member States, meaning that most industry sectors should be well able and thus expected to reach it. Products should be reduced by 4% per year in order to allow consumers to adapt to the slightly decreasing salty taste and in order to ensure continuous progress. Salt reformulation theory is based on the fact that taste can adapt to gradual reductions if those reductions are achieved across the board. In order to effectively reduce salt intake it is proposed to concentrate activities at a limited number of food categories, 12 have been identified and Member States select at least 5 categories among them for their national plans. The national plans with benchmarks are published. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments, spices Potato products
For different food categories, a reduction benchmark other than the 16% could be set. National benchmarks and plans could differ, e.g. if one focus food group is already very low in salt then
another category may be selected. It is suggested that priority is given to food categories that commonly represent major sources of salt in average diets. Most Member States prefer to work on the food categories; bread, meat products, cheeses and ready meals. Therefore, those categories will be worked on EU level with highest priority. For meat products and cheeses it is acknowledged that sub-categories may have different benchmarks than 16% in 4 years, including reducing variations between similar products. Member States may set individual benchmarks particularly for subcategories of meat products and cheeses. At least in the four food categories bread, meat products, cheeses and ready meals the lowest possible salt levels ('best in class' levels) are identified at EU level. Also, Member States may identify 'best in class' products within further food categories. And food producers are encouraged to move towards those 'best in class' levels for all categories of food. If salt reduction reaches the current 'best in class' this is considered as sufficient progress. However, exceeding the 16 % target or improving the 'best in class' levels is strongly encouraged. 3) Reformulation: Member States will strive to achieve a broad endorsement of the common vision on salt reduction with food producers and their local federations. The Commission will facilitate discussions with multinational companies, avoiding similar discussions to take place in parallel in a number of Member States at national level. 4) Raising public awareness: Raising public awareness are best dealt with at national level and are therefore within the responsibility of each Member State. Benefits include that public awareness creates 'buy-in' from consumers in salt reformulation activities and thus supports reformulation action. Progress may be achieved in partnership with NGOs, industry, media, the health sector and national platforms. 5) Monitoring & evaluation: Activities on reformulation and on raising public awareness as well as actual salt intake of the population need to be monitored. Monitoring is being best dealt with at national level and is therefore the responsibility of each Member State. Various approaches are possible and may be chosen to fit the individual national situation. Options of monitoring approaches include self reporting frameworks by the industry, monitoring of the salt content of foods and intake data, measuring the awareness level of consumers and actual behavioural change as well as salt intake via urinary sodium excretion surveys.
Timeframe Member States to achieve broad endorsement of this vision by economic operators or representing federations by the end of 2008. Furthermore, Member States will have a monitoring approach in place by the end of 2008. The Salt Action Network (SAN) will publish a standard framework with a minimum data set for information collection and monitoring actions, which could be adopted if this is seen as being helpful, as it could give comparative data across a number of Member States. Initiatives to raise public awareness to be implemented by 2009. A fist progress and monitoring report to be submitted to the Commission by the end of 2009. The Commission will share results with participating Member States.
States AT Initiative part of broader program: Yes x No Elements of the Initiative: Data x Benchmark/categories x Public awareness x Reformulation x Monitoring x Other Start of work on chosen elements: Data 08 Benchmark/categories 08 Public awareness 09 Reformulation 09 Monitoring 09 Other Baseline of salt levels 08 to be reduced Min. overall benchtbd mark: x % in y years Approach to industry: Direct agr. company Direct agr. sectors Companies give plans Sectors to give plans Other Monitoring: Industry self reporting Salt content in food Consumer awareness Na excretion surveys Other x x
BE x
BG x
CY x
CZ DE x x
DK
EE EL x x
ES x
FI x
FR x
HU x
IE
IT x
LT x
LU x
LV MT
NL x
PL x
SE x
SI x
SK x
UK x
NO x
CH x
x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
*
x x x x x x x x x x x 07 08 05 07 08 09 (04) 12% 4y x x x x x x x x x x
x x x x x x
x x x
x x x x x
x x x x
x x x x x x 09 08 09 08 08 08 16% 4y
08 08 08 07 08 04
done 08? 08
09
08 09 09 09 10 03 16% 4y
10 08 04 08 10 13 10% 5y
08 09 08 09 08 tbd tbd
04 05 04 03 04 6 y? 0/01
09 09 08
12% 5y
16% 4y
x x x
x x x tbd
x x x x x
x x x
x x
x x x
x x x x
tbd x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x ? x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x
States AT Food categories / tbd benchmarks: Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals
BE
BG
CY
CZ DE
DK tbd
EE EL
ES
FI
FR
HU tbd
IT
LT
LU
LV MT
NL
PL
SE
SI
SK
UK
NO
CH
***
x tbd x tbd x tbd x tbd x x x x x x 20% 5y
****
x x x x x x x x x x x x
x x x
10% 2y x x x
x x x x
12% 4y x 15% 4y x x
x x x x
Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments, spices Potato products Vegetables in can/glass x by 12 x by 12 x by 12
x x x x x x x
x x x x
Germany will examine their recent consumption data under the view of different recipes for different meals; in 2009 start to explore sodium excretion in the German population in order to measure the total salt intake; asked competent institutions in Germany to examine the evidence for further reduction of the salt intake, when the intake is already on a relatively low level; will cooperate with the EU-initiatives to strengthen further the awareness of the German population for moderation in salt usage; will explore the German experiences with minimizing concepts. The salt initiative is part of the Keyhole branding initiative for products and ready-made meals and the Keyhole certification scheme, this initiative includes set salt criteria for a number of product groups. The Keyhole initiative for restaurants includes, for example, education, awareness and recipe support. National salt initiatives are linked with Update Preparation of the Programme of Improvement of Nutrition of Slovak Inhabitants, goals of the programme are advertising, education, urban planning, legislation, policy, research, food development, transport, partnership established in 2008. At the present time is important to prepare a comprehensive background document, which could serve as a basis for a multi-stakeholder activity in sphere of nutrition. Parties concerned in this programme are government, manufacturers, health professionals, NGOs, it is wished to cooperate with the Slovak League against Hypertension. Before taking any action on benchmarking, the evaluation of, at least, the salt content in bread is needed. It will be possible to set the national benchmarks after having initial data of salt content in certain food groups and the consumption of certain food products. See website for benchmarks for certain food categories (see criteria by Finnish Heart Association), aim to reach population salt intake of 6g in women, 7g in men. The goal was to go from 9-10g salt/day in 2004 to 8g consumption of salt in 2008. Specific food categories to be elaborated further in 2008 and 2009. Have not set a minimum benchmark for the reduction of salt in all foods, expect manufacturers to make regular, stepwise reductions in the salt levels in food and to reduce levels as far and as quickly as possible taking into account consumer safety and acceptability, targets were set taking into account the amount of salt that they contribute to the diet, reductions made to date, technical and food safety concerns as well as consumer acceptance. And validation by public authorities. It will be possible to set the national benchmarks after having initial data of salt content in certain food groups and the consumption of certain food products. Decrease salt content of food categories by decreasing the number of highly salted foods (criteria for highly salted see national legislation on warning labels; criteria will tighten by 5-10% from June 2009). In addition, will increase the number of foods with reduced salt content such as foods that are entitles to the 'better choice' heart symbol. Other food categories have been targeted by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland these are: across the product categories of bread and biscuits; meat products; soups, sauces and condiments; breakfast cereal; sandwiches; snacks; dairy products; non-dairy yellow fat spreads and ready meals, absolute target levels to be reached. Not focus on 5 categories, overall approach throughout all product categories is preferable. Elaborated further in 2008 and 2009.
**
 
***
  
**** Voluntary salt targets published in March 06 are to be achieved by 2010, no % reduction targets but target salt levels for 85 categories reduction in order to achieve a consumption reduction from 9-10g salt per day to 8g per day in 2008 and 6gms intake of salt by 2010. No specific benchmarks for the different products, for some of these there are criteria in the Keyhole labelling system.
 Respect the Belgian regulation (max 2% salt on dry matter).
absolute target levels fixed for specific sub-food groups of the category to be reached , the reduction level of 15% for ready meals is not applicable for all subcategories of ready meals as the starting values vary a lot per category Many reformulation actions with industry are quiet complicated, most food products are imported. First, the strategy has to be defined that shall be developed for actions with industry and it has to be judged how feasible they can be, concerning this context.
AUSTRIA
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes Which? Austrian nutrition Action plan (under development) No 3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:... When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs Sept. 2008 Set benchmarks and major food categories Dec. 2008 Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness 2009 Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering Jan. 2009 Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation 2009 other:...
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? 2008.. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of . % over .years: not yet defined
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products Not yet defined 7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. (max. 150 words please) not yet defined reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
10
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:...
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? (max. 150 words please)
11
BELGIUM
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes Which? The National Food and Health Plan (www.monplannutrition.be www.mijnvoedingsplan.be) No 3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:...
12
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs September 2008 Set benchmarks and major food categories January 2008 Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness September 2008 Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering July 2007 Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation September 2008 other:...
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? 2004 (timing of the Food Consumption Survey) 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of . % over .years No overall benchmark set 6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. reduction by .% in .years Bread Respect the Belgian regulation (max 2% salt on dry matter) Meat products reduction by .% in .years
 cookedham Saltedproducts Salami Cookedproducts     Commitmentfor 2012 826mg/100g 1968mg/100g 1574mg/100g 708mg/100g 708mg/100g 708mg/100g 708mg/100g 708mg/100g reduction 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10% 10%
Cheeses
Milkproducts Goudayoungcurrent Goudaagedcurrent
reduction by .% in .years
 708mg/100g 767mg/100g
13
overall reduction commitment for the ready meals sector: 15% by 2012 This reduction level is not applicable for all subcategories of ready meals as the starting values vary a lot per category. Soups Commitment for soups: 340 mg/100 g Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals
Groenteninblik/bokaal
Ready meals
reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
 
reduction by .% in .years
Tomato,cream,pastasauces Mayonnaise,ketchup,dressings Target2012 118mg/100g 300mg/100g 300mg/100g 300mg/100g 300mg/100g 0 300mg/100g 0 300mg/100g 1300mg/100g 1300mg/100g
Potato products
Potatoproducts Frozenfrenchfries2012 Cutspecialities2012 Preparedspecialities2012 Mashedpotatosspec.2012 Frozenmashedpotatos2012 FrozenmashedpotatosNature2012 Rsti2012 Biomashedpotatos2012 Biocroquettes2012
reduction by .% in .years
14
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. A public awareness campaign is prepared in the framework of the National Food and Health Plan). 2 communication tools are prepared: 1) a brochure (naming the unsalted truth or a salted bill) is focusing on truths about salt consumption and 2) a calculator tool (calculating sodium to natrium and vice versa and also indicating levels of high in salt, medium salt and low in salt) will be distributed with the help of the federation of the distribution sector, pharmacists, general practioners and the Belgian Cardiological Liga. The Federal Minister of Public Health will launch the campaign in January 2009 as 2009 is nominated as the year of hypertency or high blood pressure. (max. 150 words please)
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other: asking Federation of the food industry, distribution sector and catering sector to sensibiliser subsector in order to submit their individual reduction plan
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them?
15
Self reporting framework: The federation of the food industry, all subsectors and the Federation of the distribution sector have provided their written commitmentsed to reduce salt consumption to the co-coordinators of the National Food and Health Plan. These commitments were discussed in the working group in a overall way. Some sectors requested an individual meeting with the president of the working group and the co-coordinator of the NFHP to clarify their position. Monitoring salt intake in relation to food consumption habits (based on the Belgian food composition table): In September 2008 a scientific evaluation of all commitments has been initiated in collaboration with the Institute of Public health and the University of Ghent. The aim is to evaluate and compare the salt intake with and without the salt reduction commitments. In this way, the salt intake due to prepared food and natural present sodium will be evaluated based on the food consumption habits (Food consumption survey among adults above 15 years. www.iph.fgov.be/nutria) Monitoring salt content in food: The salt content of bread is controlled officially by the Federal Agency on Food chain Safety) as part of the monitoring program (salt in BELGIAN bread is strictly regulated by a Royal Decree of 1985). The Agency has been informed on the salt reduction initiative. Awareness of consumers: see description of campaign above Sodium excretion survey: a study will be conducted among 300 belgian adults (taking into account a good distribution for education level and man/woman ratio.) (max. 150 words please)
16
BULGARIA
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes No x Which? Food and Nutrition Action Plan , 2005 - 2010
3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other: Banning the availability of salters in school canteens x x x x x x
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs 2007 Set benchmarks and major food categories 2008 Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness 2005 Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering 2007 Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation 2000 other:...
17
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? 2009 in the national nutrition survey we will determine sodium excretion level in the urine of sub-sample from all age groups., 2004 basis for salt intakes assessed by 24 h recalls 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of 12. % over .4years
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products x x x x x x x x x reduction by 10.% in 4.years reduction by 15.% in 4.years reduction by 10.% in 4.years reduction by 15.% in 4.years reduction by 15.% in 4.years reduction by ....% in .years reduction by 15.% in 4.years reduction by .% in .years reduction by 10.% in 4.years reduction by 10.% in 4.years reduction by .% in .years reduction by 15.% in 4.years
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. (max. 150 words please) 2 press conferences organized on national level, special TV/radio broadcasts, newspaper publications done, food based dietary guidelines for adults, childrens 3-6 years, schoolchildren 7-19 years were developed, under promotion: salt reduction initiative is included and stressed on this guideline, partners: industry, health sector, media, NGO's
18
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies x Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) x Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:...
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry x Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data x Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers x Sodium excretion surveys x other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? (max. 150 words please) We colleted data for current salt content in different bakery products from the producers, started to analyse their real Na content. It is forthcoming to do the same for meat products, cheeses. In the next national nutrition survey we will introduce indicator sodium excretion by urine. We plan to include analyses of ready meals and the basic target foods for Na content from the Regional Public Health Control and Protection Inspectorates in the frames of their regular control activities.
19
CYPRUS
The Ministry of health in Cyprus has decided to go ahead and follow the salt initiative actions that are taken in European Union. Last July we formed a committee to deal with the subject. The contact point is Eliza Markidou, Clinical Dietician A, who is also presiding the committee . The other members are a Medical Doctor, a renal doctor, the president of the Cyprus Diet Consumers may choose to buy organic fruit, vegetables and meat because they believe them to be more nutritious than other food. However, the balance of current scientific evidence does not support this view. 2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes x Which? national Food based dietary Guidelines No 3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:... x x x x
20
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs Set benchmarks and major food categories Done already according to WHO Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness We will 1. print leaflet for the consumers , 2. place advertisement in newspapers and magazines 3. Develop a booklet with a story for children 4 The National day for nutrition 2009 will be devoted to the salt initiative Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering start meeting with industry on the 29-9-2008 Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation other:...
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? .. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of 1-2. % over 5.years
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products x x x reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
x x x
21
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. We decided to take the following actions to raise awareness of the public about salt: 1. Print A leaflet with informations for salt and distribute it to the public, 2 Place advertisements to the magazine and to newspaper 3. Start a campaign with the media 4. Design and print a booklet for the children ( story ) 5. Organise seminar for teachers and parents to inform them for this salt initiative 6. Devote the next national day for nutrition to the salt initiative (10 of May 2009) We plan to work with the media, consumer associations , parents associations etc
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) x Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans x other:...
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry x Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data x Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers x Sodium excretion surveys other:Questionnaire with diet recall and food analysis . research to be finished by 2010 ... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? (max. 150 words please)
22
CZECH REPUBLIC
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes x Which? We plan that it will be a part of activities and of campaign, which is planned for several next years, which are aimed at healthy life style and healthy diet as a whole; as a part of activities focused on prevention of overweight and obesity. 3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:... x x
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs Set benchmarks and major food categories Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness 2009 Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation other:...
23
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? .. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of . % over .years
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. (max. 150 words please)
24
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:...
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data x Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? Dietary exposition to the sodium is surveyed by the National Institute of Public Health from 1996. Salted kinds of bakery products and instant soups belonged to the most important sources of absolute exposition to salt in survey made in 2004/2005. Cheeses and meat products were the richest sources of salt counted on kilos of food (except concentrates).
25
GERMANY
26
3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:... When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs see 1) Set benchmarks and major food categories Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness 2009 if necessary Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering see 1) Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation see 1) other:...
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? .. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of . % over .years
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years 27
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. (max. 150 words please) see 1)
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:...
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? (max. 150 words please)
28
DENMARK
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes Which? described at point 1 and 7
No 3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:...
29
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Determine additional data needs 2009 Set benchmarks and major food categories 2008/2009 Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness ongoing Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering 2008/2009 Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation 2008/2009 other:...
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? Expected to be Dec. 2009 dialogs with the food industries are ongoing. Some companies have already reduced the salt content considerably. Therefore we have accepted the baseline start to Jan.2007. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? The Ministry of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries will work for an overall salt reduction benchmark of 16 % over 4 years. 6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
30
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. Continue initiatives described at point 1 together with more information about salt in existing publications. In addition, next couples of years focus will be concentrated at: 1. Participation in a Nordic nutritional food labeling. We expect to notify the Nordic nutritional food labeling the 1st of October 2008. The labeling is on a voluntary basis. Information will be provided on the package of the food products to help consumers choose within different food groups in regard to fat-, sugar-, and salt content. Some products will also contain information about whole grain and dietary fiber. 2. Dialog with the food industries. There is a need to work together (on a voluntary basis) with the food industries in order to explore possibilities and technical solutions for decreasing the salt content in products that contribute to a high salt intake such as bread, meat products, cheeses and ready meals.
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans Other. We will discuss possibilities and technical solutions for decreasing the salt content with the industries and organizations. And we expect an agreement for decreasing salt content in products that contribute to a high salt intake such as bread, meat products, cheeses and ready meals. 9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:...
31
If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them?
Salt intake is going to be measured in 2009 and again in 2014 in a not yet specified number of samples in the selected food groups. Sodium excretion has been measured in 114 24-h urine samples and in 3500 randomly selected spot urine samples in 2004-05. Furthermore, sodium excretion in 24-h urine samples, and intake of household salt using a lithium marker technique, were investigated in 2006 in 86 subjects. The results from these studies are used as baseline measures. Depending on the necessary funding two studies will be carried out in 2014 comparable to the above studies: total salt and household salt will be assessed in 100 subjects, and sodium content will be assessed in 500 randomly selected spot urine samples. The results will give an idea of the change in total salt intake and will show whether the intake of household salt increases when the intake from industrial produced food decreases.
32
ESTONIA
33
Activities are already underway to improving standards (the renewed regulation entered into force in 2008), training and quality control in the catering industry on choosing ingredients and improve nutritional standards in schools. For the general population (including adults and children), articles and advices are available through the web-site www.terviseinfo.ee In October 2008, a training course to food producers was carried out to encourage them to reformulate their products to reduce levels of salt. However, there is greater potential impact to be achieved through population approaches to reduce cholesterol and hypertension through targeting salt. An Action Plan for years 2009-2012 (not yet officially approved) Informing the public on a labelling system for foodstuffs via different information channels. Increasing public awareness of the need to reduce salt in their diets through public campaigns. Working with the food industry and the Ministry of Agriculture to reformulate products reducing salt this action depends on the need. In order to elucidate the opportunities and establishing targets, the nationwide nutrition survey must be carried out and the electronic food and nutrition database have to be fully implemented (it is composed of 4 modules, including the database of chemical contents, the database of nutrition surveys and research, etc. The whole approach is based on a voluntary salt reduction by establishing self-regulation measures. .Firstly, the focus will be on food producer, catering and canteens will be left to a later phase. Further developing the electronic nutrition database. 2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes X The Estonian National Strategy for the Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases 2005-2020 (under the responsibility of the Ministry of Social Affairs of Estonia). No 3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:... X X X
34
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs next year Set benchmarks and major food categories Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness next year Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation other:... 4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? .. Because of the absence of systematic monitoring of the present salt content in products and the absence of exact objective data about consumption, it is difficult to predict the required reduction of the salt content in products and the salt intake to any concrete level. Routine national behavioral surveys of adults, children and adolescents take place at regular intervals. Self-reported data, including dietary habits, among adults is monitored by the Health Behaviour among Estonian Adult Population Study (FinBalt)(HBaEAP) which is administered by the National Institute for Health Development. The study has been carried out every other year since 1996. Self-reported data on dietary habits among children and adolescents is monitored by the Health Behaviour among School-Aged Children Study (HBSC) which is administered by the National Institute for Health Development. The study is carried out in every four years. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of . % over .years It will be possible to set the national benchmarks after having initial data of salt content in certain food groups and the consumption of certain food products. 6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years 35
Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products Please take a look at the previous comments. 7) Raising public awareness
reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. The campaign is planned to be lunched next year. At this stage, the details are not available since the Action Plan and budget is not yet officially approved.
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? In October 2008, the seminar for ready meal producers was organized. Future plans are explained under the question 1. Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:... 9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? (max. 150 words please)
36
GREECE
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes National Action Plan for the Healthy Nutrition and the Nutrition Disorders of the Greek Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity, which is not yet adopted in a legal framework.
37
3) Key elements
Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise?
Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories NO Setting of benchmarks and major food categories NO Actions to raise public awareness NO Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products NO Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities NO other: It is planned with other stakeholders, such as food industries and N.G.Os specific actions to be discussed. When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs June 2008 Set benchmarks and major food categories Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation other:...
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? Before taking any action on benchmarking, the evaluation of , at least, the salt content in bread is needed. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of . % over .years
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years 38
Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products
reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc.
From the March 2008, the Greek Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity has started a Promotional campaign for raising public awareness on childrens obesity. This campaign includes the cooperation of many partners such as: Greek Ministry of Education, Ministry of Transportations, Ministry of Culture, mass media, consumers organizations and, food industries.
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other: When the information for setting benchmarks are available, before final decision, the issue will be discussed with representatives of the bakers union. This activity will be undertaken under the guidelines of the National Nutrition Policy Committee of the Greek Ministry of Health and Social Solidarity and other stakeholders.
39
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? (max. 150 words please)
40
SPAIN
41
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? 2009.. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of 16. % over .4years
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products reduction by tbd.% in .years reduction by tbd.% in .years reduction by tbd.% in .years reduction by tbd.% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. There is planned a public campaign in order to raise public awareness. This actions is already confirmed to be developed, but it is not yet completely defined.
42
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:...
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? We are currently developing a working group with specific duties on developing monitoring and evaluation systems, but they are in a design phase.
43
FINLAND
3) Information campaigns about salt have been run by various stakeholders such as the Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira, NGOs and the food industry 4) Guidelines on how to include nutritional criteria (such as salt) in food service procurements will be available by the end of 2009 5) Industry has reformulated products so that salt levels are below that of highly salted warning labelling. This has meant that from the beginning of the 1990s salt levels in bread, meat products, cheeses and ready meals and some other product groups have decreased by about 20-25 %. The new limits for highly salted will further decrease the salt content of various products.
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes No X Currently implementation of National Nutritional Guidelines (2005) and Government resolution on development guidelines for health-enhancing physical activity and nutrition (2008)
44
3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other: Mandatory labelling of salt in certain food and mandatory warning labels for high salt foods ... x x x x x x
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs to be discussed Set benchmarks and major food categories done (see Finnish Heart Association) Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness on-going Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering on-going Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation on-going other:... 4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? Spring 2007 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? We have set benchmarks for certain food categories (see criteria by Finnish Heart Association http://www.sydanmerkki.fi/sydanmerkki_tuotteet/etusivu/fi_FI/englanniksi/) Overall salt reduction benchmark of . % over years We aim to decrease salt in take of the population towards 6 g in women and 7 g in men. .
45
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. We aim to decrease the salt content of food categories below by decreasing the number of highly salted foods (criteria for highly salted, see national legislation on warning labels; criteria will tighten by 5-10% from June 2009). In addition, we will increase the number of foods with reduced salt content such as foods that are entitled to the better choice heart symbol. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products x x x x x x x x x reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. We will raise public awareness related to salt reduction in various ways such as: - Children and families are offered more information and support to adopt healthy dietary habits with low salt intake - Basic information about healthy diet (including low salt intake) is a part of Finnish basic education compulsory to all pupils - Consumer awareness of salt content of certain foods will be increased since we have compulsory warning labels for high salt foods and compulsory labelling of salt in many food categories - The Finnish Food safety authority Evira has launched an information leaflet on salt (2008), and will run a campaign to increase consumer awareness on information on food labels - Many NGOs (Finnish Health Association, Diabetes Association etc.) conduct campaigns to raise public awareness on the issues of salt and health within a broader message about health.
46
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other: working together with Finnish Food and Drink Industries Federation and Finnish Grocery Trade Association to increase awareness of salt issues and encourage reformulation X 9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data x x
Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers x Sodium excretion surveys x other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? Dietary intake of salt in a representative population sample will be monitored as part of Finnravinto Survey in the spring 2012, and sodium excretion surveys may be conducted simultaneously. The number of products and food services with better choice -label will be followed by Finnish Heart Association. Finnish Food and Drink Industries Federation and Finnish Grocery Trade Association will gather information about reformulation and products in the market. Consumer awareness of salt will be monitored as part of consumer surveys.
47
FRANCE
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes No x Which? Programme national Nutrition Sant
3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:... x x x x
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs 2000 Set benchmarks and major food categories Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness 2002-3 Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering 2002-3 Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation 2006 other:...
48
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? 2002.. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of . % over .years The goal was to reduce from 9-10g salt/day in 2004 to 8g the consumption of salt in 2008 6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products For others: no specific goals 7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. (max. 150 words please) Action about global foods, by the French Agency (public) INPES reduction by 20. .% in 5.years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
49
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans x* Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans x* other:... * and validation by Public authorities
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data x Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers x Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? (max. 150 words please) Reduction of the salt intake (on a national representative sample) from 9-10g in 1999 to 8.5g/day in 2006
50
HUNGARY
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes No X Which? National Public Health Programme 2003-2013; 1st National Nutrition Action Plan
3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:... X X X X
51
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs April 2008 Set benchmarks and major food categories 2009 Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness 2009 Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering 2009 Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation 2010 other:... 4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? 2003.. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of 16 % over 4.years - to be discussed
Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. As it was mentioned above, a public awareness raising campaign is planned to implement in 2009. According to our plans, most of the stakeholders (NGOs, industry, media, health and education sector) will be involved. Some details, however, have to be discussed in the near future.
52
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans X other:... 9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry X Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data X Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers X Sodium excretion surveys X other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? Actions are mentioned above.
53
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes Which? An independant programme but other NGO activities to reduce hypertension also focus on salt reduction No X 3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories X Setting of benchmarks and major food categories X Actions to raise public awareness X Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products X Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities X other:action 4 not to inspire industry/catering but to work with them ... When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs 2003/2004 Set benchmarks and major food categories 2004 Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness 2004 & 2008 Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering 2004 Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation 2004 and annually other:...
54
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? 2004.. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Target for Food Safety Authority of Ireland programme : 6gms intake of salt by 2010 Overall salt reduction benchmark of 16. % over .4years ( are using EU common target now)
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products x x x x reduction by 16% in 4.years reduction by 16 % in 4.years reduction by 16% in 4.years reduction by 16% in 4.years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
Other food categories have been targeted by the Food Safety Authority of Ireland these are: across the product categories of bread and biscuits; meat products; soups, sauces and condiments; breakfast cereal; sandwiches; snacks; dairy products; non-dairy yellow fat spreads and ready meals. 7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. Raising public awareness see attached document Funding for campaigns by Department of Health and Children is unlikely in next few years but
55
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies X Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) X Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans X Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans X other:...
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry X Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data ? Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers X Sodium excretion surveys (for baseline for 2008) X other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them?
Monitoring- see attached document Funding for monitoring by Department of Health and Children is unlikely in next few years but
Department will work with the Food Industry and NGOs on this.
56
ITALY
No
57
3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:... X X X X
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs 2008/2009 Set benchmarks and major food categories Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness 2008/2009 Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering 2008/2009 Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation 2009/2010 other:...
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? 1997 .. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of 10. % over 2/3.years
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks X X X X X reduction by 10.% in 2 .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by 38.% since 1999 reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years 58
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. Our actions: - Develop a concerted approach with industrial and handicraft production to facilitate the reformulation of products. An effective approach must include the identification of products at higher salt content. - develop an awareness and responsibility towards the areas of catering. - Promote multimedia communication campaigns (Television, booklets, magazines, etc.) to increase awareness of citizens about the importance of reducing salt intake (preferring, in a moderate use, the iodized salt) - Involve medical doctors and paediatricians, that are the most important professionals for communication and promotion of healthy lifestyles - Increase public awareness of world production, especially of small local producers, through information events to support the process of adaptation of products, ensuring the preservation of cultural traditions and dietary habits of the population (in cooperation with National Platform, NGOs, health sector) - Promote agreements with industries to improve the labelling of products, adapting to the requirements of completeness and simplification - Involve food catering sector (restaurants, pubs, bar ande "Fast food") to make easily available low-salt foods and dishes.
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies X Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) X Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:...
59
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data X Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers X Sodium excretion surveys X other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? The overall objective is to obtain reliable information on the average consumption of sodium, potassium and iodine per capita in the Italian population on a regional basis, by age groups and in relation to the presence of hypertension. To monitor actions and evaluate the results, we are planning 1) select a representative sample of the population on a regional basis, by sex and age 2) obtain a well-executed collection of urine for 24 hours and demographic and anthropometric information 3) measure the content of sodium, potassium and iodine in the samples 4) determine the real content of sodium in some foods among those most relevant for the intake of The activities will be repeated on a regular basis in order to assess the effectiveness of measures implemented to reduce the contribution salt in food and to reduce the contribution sodium discretion.
60
LITHUANIA
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? 2013.. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of 10. % over .5years
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products reduction by 10% in 5.years reduction by 10.% in 5.years reduction by 10% in 5.years reduction by 10.% in 5.years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by 10.% in 5.years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. Industry, media and national platform of bakery, diary, confectionary, cheese and food retail industry is involved in raising public awareness. Companies composed the National platform plan to produce products which contain smaller amount of salt and then promote these product as healthy products. National platform will encourage other companies of industry to join the platform. Media will promote products which contain smaller amount of salt and healthy nutrition also. Discussions raising public awareness will be initiated on TV. Articles will be published in popular newspapers and journals also.
62
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:...
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? Lithuania plans to monitor salt reduction results. The monitoring plan will be adopted in 2009 and carried out in 2013.
63
LUXEMBOURG
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes X No 3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? 7. Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories 8. Setting of benchmarks and major food categories 9. Actions to raise public awareness 10. Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products 11. Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities 12. other:... X X X X X Which? National programme Healthy Nutrition and Physical Activity
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? 7. Determine additional data needs 8. Set benchmarks and major food categories 9. Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness 10. Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering Not defined yet Not defined yet Continuously See Note1 64
11. Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation See Note1 12. other: Note1 Many reformulation actions with industry are quiet complicated for our country. Most food products are imported. Some major sources of salt, as for instance Breakfast cereals, the major varieties of cheeses and most of ready meals comes exclusively from outside and from various places. These are the reasons why until now, this kind of collaboration was not a priority of the national programme. We will have to define first the strategy that shall be developed for actions with industry and we will have to judge how feasible they can be, concerning this context.
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? Not defined yet 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of . % over .years See Note1
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction See Note1 Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products X X X X reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
65
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. By the means of our national program for healthy nutrition and physical activity, initiated in 2006, we attempt to raise the consciousness for a balanced diet with different awareness campaigns. One of our basic recommendations concerning a balanced diet is the limitation of salt consumption and also the message that people should prefer salt supplemented with iodine. Du sel avec moderation, mais du sel iod. Many information and education campaigns are organised at a national and a local level. The target areas are: schools, municipalities, youth centres, day-care centres, general population, and every association whose motivation is to organize activities in the field of balanced diet and physical activity. The media used are: booklets, posters, teaching kits, National Label for good practices, sporadic but also continuous projects.
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other : Not defined yet, See Note1
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys
If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? A global and continuous evaluation of the national programme has been decided by the Direction of Health which will take into account specific actions but also the whole process of the action plan.
66
LATVIA
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes No 3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Which?
67
Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:... When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs Set benchmarks and major food categories August 2008 Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness 2009 Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering August 2008 Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation 2009 other:...
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? 2008 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of . % over .years The benchmark is not set yet as the discussions with food industry are not finalized. 6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
68
The benchmarks are not set yet as the discussions with food industry are not finalized.
69
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. Several publications in the local newspapers and the internet and interviews in the television have been published regarding the salt reduction initiative. It is planned to organize the public awareness campaign in 2009, however it is not possible at this moment to describe it further.
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:...
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? As mentioned before, the discussions with the food industry are not finalized yet. It is planned to meet with the dairy industry, the meat industry, the fish industry and the crisps and savoury snacks industry to discuss the possibilities of salt reduction. Therefore it is not possible at this moment to describe the monitoring activities further.
70
MALTA
71
3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities This is still under discussion...
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs Set benchmarks and major food categories Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation This is still under discussion... 4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? Not yet decided 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of . % over .years 6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals X reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years 72 X
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. There has been no specific salt initiative to date to raise public awareness, however, all initiatives targeting heart health, cardiovascular disease, stroke and weight management, all included minimising the salt intake in diets. It is being proposed that the local bread industry be involved from the initial stages of the campaign, and therefore utilise platforms that are available to the industry in promoting local bread. This includes a Bread festival held annually as well as other outreach public health initiatives. The media will be used extensively and resources will be created.
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) X Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:... 9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys Due to our limitations, monitoring and evaluation has to be discussed extensively.
If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? Still being discussed.
73
THE NETHERLANDS
The policy on salt in The Netherlands is part of a broad policy document and action plan on nutrition and health: Healthy Nutrition, from start to finish (2008).
Healthy nutrition comes with a healthy eating pattern, therefore our approach is integral (salt, fruits and vegetables, fat composition of foods, fibres, energy intake). The greatest gains in salt reduction can be achieved in the food industry and in the composition and preparation of foods and meals that are consumed outside the home. To our opinion, reducing the salt content in foods should be carried out gradually and it is important that all sectors modify their products, due to the effect on taste. The Federation of the Dutch Food and Grocery Industry (FNLI) established the Salt Task Force in 2007. They create a plan to reduce the use of salt throughout the food industry. Its action plan will consist of multiple phases which will set goals for each sector to gradually reduce salt. The Task Force will also work together with the hospitality, catering and retail industries to purchase all supplying parties externally or to include the foods to be consumed. Additionally to the Salt Task Force, the Nutrition Centre supports and promotes reduction in salt consumption within their Good Nutrition project. Contact points: Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport: Letteke Boot (ca.boot@minvws.nl ) Salt Task Force FNLI: Christine Grit (cgrit@fnli.nl )
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes No x Which? Healthy Nutrition, from start to finish
74
3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:... x x x x x
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs Set benchmarks and major food categories Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation other:draw up a best-in-class list for the Netherlands 2006 2007 2007 2007 2008 2008
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? 2006.. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of 10-15. % over 4.years (2006-2010) 20-30% on the longer term 6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks x x x x x reduction by 12.% in 2010.years reduction by .% in .years reduction by 15.% in 2010.years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years 75
Nota: I once more would like to emphasize that in The Netherlands we do not focus on 5 categories. Due to the major importance of salt for the taste of foods and the necessary habituation to less salty products, we think an overall approach throughout all product categories is preferable. 7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. -
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) x Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:1,3 and 4 performed by the industry Task Forcesupported by the ministry of health and the Nutrition Centre... 9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry x Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data x Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys x other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? Permanent food consumption survey (data reported every five year, first expected 2010) Sodium excretion survey (repetition after 2006) in 2010 Self reporting framweork by industry annually
Brussels, September 2008
76
POLAND
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes Which? National Programme for the Prevention of Overweight, Obesity and Non-Communicable Diseases thought Diet and Physical Activity (POLHEALTH)
No 3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other: Actions connected with iodine prophylaxis in Poland based on mandatory iodization of household salt.
77
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs year 2008 Set benchmarks and major food categories year 2008 Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness year 2008 Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering consultation with food industry Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation year 2009 other:
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? consultation with food industry 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of 16 % over 4 years
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products reduction by .% in 4 years reduction by .% in 4 years reduction by .% in 4 years reduction by .% in 4 years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in 4 years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
78
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. Raising public awareness: - education of consumers and food producers at the same time. It should also concern health sector (including doctors and dieticians), food control services, governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and media (television., radio, press) - development of dietetic counselling - organising of training conferences - implementing to the education programme lessons about healthy nutrition with taking into consideration reducing salt consumption
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:... 9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? Planned actions should include monitoring and scientific studies in area of: - salt consumption and relations between salt consumption and non-communicable diseases - salt content in foods and meals - sodium excretion surveys - changes of wrong dietary habits and consumer behaviours - level of education of population 79
SWEDEN
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes X The National Food Administrations Keyhole initiative includes products, ready made meal and a certification scheme for healthy meals in restaurants. No 3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:... X
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs Set benchmarks and major food categories 2007 Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation 2008 other:... 80
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? .. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of . % over .years
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products X X X X X X X reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. As a part of the Keyhole restaurant certification scheme, together with the restaurant industry, raising awareness of salt use by chefs, as well as to the guests - will be important.
81
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:...
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data X Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? The National Food Administration plans to contionously evaluate the total market of Keyhole products and their market share as well as the Keyhole meals sold by restaurants. The National Food Administration has not yet started this work and therefore does not have enough data to set the salt reduction targets.
82
SLOVENIA
Please see attached a set of questions on details of your actual or planned national salt initiative, in relation to the EU Framework adopted at the last High Level Group (HLG) meeting on 1 July 2008. We would like you to complete the fields or tick the boxes of this template corresponding to your national initiative. A better understanding of the Member States initiatives should facilitate the development of an EU map of the salt initiative and facilitate exchange of information among HLG members and other potential partners. We would be grateful for feedback by 30 September so that we can compile a summary sheet for the HLG meeting 28 October 2008. 1) Your overall national salt initiative Please give a broad description of your national salt initiative, including information on the coordination body or mechanism with the naming the contact point if possible.
The Slovenian salt initiative is a national activity foreseen by the National Food and Nutrition Action Plan from 2005 to 2010. The responsible body for the adoption and implementation of activities and national contact point is the Ministry of Health. Other national sectors, professional organizations and civil society will be also involved in the implementation process. The dialog between Ministry of Health and industry will be coordinated through the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, as umbrella organization of the food processing and food retailing industry.
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes No 3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other: Education for medical doctors and other heath care staff Which? National Food and Nutrition Action Plan 2005 - 2010
83
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs January-June 2007 Set benchmarks and major food categories October-December 2007 (upgrading according to the needs) Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness In August 2008 we developed tools for public awareness campaign. In 2009 the wide media campaign will be implemented. Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering Starting in April 2007, main activities are planned in 2008 and 2009 Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation The basic structure of monitoring actions was build up from October to December 2007. The reformulation monitoring is planned to be established in 2009. other: Education for medical doctors and other heath care staff Starting in February 2009
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? In December 2007, based upon to the available data.
5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of 16 % over 4 years.
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses * * * reduction by 16 % in 4 years reduction by 16 % in 4 years reduction by 16 % in 4 years 84
Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products * Elaborated further in 2008 and 2009 7) Raising public awareness
* *
reduction by 16 % in 4 years reduction by .% in .years reduction by 16 % in 4 years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc.
The promotion campaign of reducing salt intake in Slovene population will take place through various media channel at national and local levels. The promotion campaign will include interministerial and inter-disciplinary activities involving the Ministry of Education and Sport, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Chamber of Agriculture, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia, CINDI Slovenia, National Institute of Public Health, Regional public health institutes and health staff in primary health centres and hospitals. Promotion campaign will be carried out on various levels and different environments (national and local activities: in schools, kindergartens, student hostels, workplaces, industries, etc.).
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other: Direct agreement with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Slovenia (Chamber of Agricultural and Food Enterprises) as national coordinator of different branches of food industry
85
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:...
If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? We have planned to monitor: 1. Sodium excretion surveys by 24-hour urine collection (according to the needs); 2. Salt contents of foods (every food group according to the needs) 3. Monitoring availability and intake data 4. Results of implementation of awareness campaign implementation
86
SLOVAK REPUBLIC
87
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs Set benchmarks and major food categories Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation other:we plan to start working from 2009
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? 6 year 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of 0 % over 0 years
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products
about the level of salt contain in http://www.svssr.sk/sk/legislativa/kodex/2_15.asp, food.
reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
http://www.svssr.sk/sk/legislativa/kodex/2_15_01.pdf,
Data named on the list are not available, it is up to the Ministry of Agriculture of Slovak Republic to decide
88
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. Area for a action are Advertising, education in project Health in school , urban planning, legislation, policy, research, food development., transport.
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:...
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data + Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers + Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? The monitor will be designed.
Programme for Nutrition Improvement of the Population in the Slovak Republic (http://jaspi.justice.gov.sk.) was updated in 17th on December 2008. It contains concrete targets in the consumption of food, "eat food with low salt intake should not be more than 1 tea spoon (5 g) per day, including the hidden salt in bakery products, meat products and other processed, adapted and preserved foods, and finished feedingstuffs, prefer iodised salt. In 2008, consultation in the field of healthy eating ensure good order of nutrition, which are assigned to the department of health education, public health, good nutrition counseling centers and treatment of weight and the Advisory Health RVZ SR. It provided individual and group 89
counseling. The staff unions and the departments of hygiene of nutrition in the RVZ in cooperation with workers in the health advisory will also continue to national implementation of the project: "Monitoring the nutritional status of selected groups of the adult population of Slovakia's population." Activities to guidance counselors mutually differed in various regions. Press conference entitled "How to nutrition in public canteens and restaurants?" Organized 13.mja 2009, led by Chairman of the League against hypertension - Doc. Assoc. MUDr. Stefan Farsky, PhD, FESC, in Bratislava informed that a man needs to take two to four grams of salt a day, its real income, however, five to six times higher. Receipt of the sodium is linked with high blood pressure, a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Seventy-five percent of salt consumed comes from processed foods, thus limiting prisania when consumed is less important factor than the reduction of sodium content in food preparation technology. High intake of salt in the dishes offered by restaurants and cafeterias and in Slovakia. Therefore, the Global Initiative on hypertension (17 May), to reduce salt content in the diet outside the home. "Indeed, while in the selection of food for home preparation of food, the customer can navigate under the product in restaurants and canteens, this is not a customer is dependent on the habits and the cook," said Farsky. To check the quantity of salt in food establishments catering Slovak League against hypertension analyzed samples from 10 restaurants and canteens from different parts of Slovakia. The results were not favorable and show an increased amount of salt in some places even the amount of sodium in the meals was above the maximum daily dose identified by the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the results presented as meal of chicken breasts with Blue cheese sauce and fries contained in Povask Bystrica 6.3 grams of salt, a customer or customer consumed on the file cutting poultry and potato salad with mayonnaise and 5.4 grams of salt. Better are not even school canteens - bean soup, and fried soya slices cooked with potatoes and tatar sauce contained in a secondary school and central Slovakia almost seven grams of salt. Danger of traditional Slowak dishes such as cheese korbaik symbolize that have the weight of 150 gram to 6.9 grams of salt. To change this state can contribute enactment mandatory labeling of foods in terms of salt content, as well as training people to understand correctly interpret indications.
90
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes Which? The UK Government has a number of commitments to reduce consumers intakes of salt, saturated fat and sugar, and to help them maintain energy balance. These are set out in the Agencies Strategic Plan 2005-2010, and in Healthy Weight, Healthy Lives (HWHL) a cross-government obesity strategy, which is led by the UK Department of Health (DH), and includes government commitments up to 2020. No
91
3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:... When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs 2004 - data needs are in the main met but are reviewed on an ongoing basis. Set benchmarks and major food categories - 2005 (1st targets consultation) Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness - 2004 (launched 1st phase) Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering - 2003 (1st meeting between industry and the Minister to seek commitment to salt reduction.) Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation - 2004 other:...
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? 2000/01 for sodium intakes. A programme of work on reformulation began in 2004. There was however some voluntary industry reformulation which commenced before this time e.g. in the breakfast cereal sector. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? The work in the UK has not set a minimum benchmark for the reduction of salt in all foods. We expect manufacturers to make regular stepwise reductions in the salt levels in food, and to reduce levels as far and as quickly as possible taking into account consumer safety and acceptability. Our targets were set for individual food groups and take into account the amount of salt that they contribute to the diet, reductions made to date, technical and food safety concerns as well as consumer acceptance. 6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. 92
Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products A copy of the UKs voluntary salt targets which were published in March 2006, and are to be achieved by 2010, are attached. These do not set a % reduction to be achieved over a number of years, but a target salt level that all foods in each of the 85 categories should aim for. Salt is a ubiquitous ingredient. However we have focused our targets on those foods contributing most to the diet. A review of progress towards achieving these targets has been taking place this year (2008) and revised proposed targets are currently subject to a public consultation (closing on the 31st October). Final revised targets will be published early in 2009 and will set targets to be met by 2010 and 2012. The proposed targets take into account the levels of reductions already achieved, which for some products are already 25-55%. The FSA is also working with the largest companies across the catering sector to encourage commitments for voluntary action that will help people make healthier choices when eating out, by reducing the amount of salt (as well as saturated fat and sugar) in the foods they serve. 7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. The UK FSA has run three phases of a public awareness campaign, the main purpose of which is to make consumers aware of why a high salt intake is bad for their health and what they can do to reduce their intakes. We used a variety of methods of getting our messages across: TV and poster ads, articles in the press (main UK newspapers, magazines), coverage in the UK news, leaflets and a dedicated salt website (www.salt.gov.uk). We also worked in partnership with a range of Non Government Organisations (NGOs) generally health or consumer related organisations but also those that represented specific sections of the population and industry organisations (food retailers and manufacturers) to get our messages across to specific sub-groups of the population that were potentially more likely to have a high salt intake or be affected by high blood pressure. Towards the end of this year we will be considering additional public awareness work, with a view to running further activities in 2009/10.
93
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:...
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them?
Sodium/salt intakes are monitored through the use of urinary sodium excretion surveys. This was first done in 1986/87 and has been repeated in 2000/2001, 2005/06 and 2008. Intakes were estimated to be 9.5g, 9g and 8.6g for these last three time periods. To monitor progress by industry in reducing salt in foods, the FSA initially set up a commitments table which highlighted the actions that were being taken by different companies and the reductions they had achieved. The FSA also set up a Processed Food Databank which recorded the levels of salt (and other key nutrients) in around 1000 food products (which represented the market leaders in those categories of food contributing most salt to the diet) this was carried out in 2004/05 and again in 2006. A self reporting framework (SRF), by which industry could report the levels of salt in products across the categories for which targets had been set, was published in August 2007. Twenty five (25) responses to the framework were received, which covers around one-third of the companies who are committed to the UK salt reduction programme. In the future we intend to use a combination of label data sourced commercially and a smaller set of self reported data from industry. The FSA has also evaluated the success of its consumer awareness work which shows the number of consumers cutting down on salt has increased by as much as one-third; there has been a 10-fold increase in awareness of the 6g a day message; and the number of consumers trying to cut down on salt by checking labels has doubled since the beginning of the campaign. 94
NORWAY
Societal-based measures that make it easier for everyone to choose healthy foods will often be the most efficient in improving the general health of a nation. In order to make the healthy choice the easy choice with regard to diet, availability and price of food and beverages are of great importance. Furthermore, marketing regulation, food labelling, regulations in the food area and product development are examples of structural measures which can be used to improve the availability of healthy food products to the population. Working together with the food industry is therefore important.
2. Consumer knowledge It is a central task for the authorities to reach the entire population with clear, easily understood and
uniform information on diet and nutrition. Widely distributed information and communication will help
increase the public's knowledge of food, diet and health, which in turn will serve to make it easier for consumers to make informed dietary choices. To reach out to those who do not actively seek information on diet and health, it is necessary to consider new methods and channels of communication. However, knowledge and attitudes are not sufficient for changing behaviour. Information and educational approaches are likely to have a greater impact at the population level if these approaches are implemented together with structural measures.
95
3. Qualifications of key personnel Policy makers and occupational groups who directly or indirectly contribute to nutrition-related activities, and thus have an impact on the population's diet, need to have a sound and relevant level of knowledge about nutrition, diet and food. In order to advance current knowledge about foods, meals, nutrition and health, research should be stimulated. Knowledge about health behaviour and measures to change behaviour are prerequisites for delivering sound and efficient interventions in the area of public health nutrition. 4. Local basis of nutrition-related activities Anchoring nutrition initiatives politically, administratively and in planning documents in municipalities and counties is necessary for implementing many of the measures. In recent years, partnerships for public health have grown to become one of the most important strategies in public health work. The recognition that lies behind the partnership model is that continuous, binding and systematic interdisciplinary and cross-sectoral collaboration is necessary for achieving good public health. This requires the broad involvement of public, NGO and private activities at the national, regional and local level. 5. Strengthened focus on nutrition in the health care services There is a need to strengthen preventive efforts in the health service because the health service is an important driving force and partner in prevention work. Secondary prevention and treatment take place in both the primary and specialist health services. Nutrition is a required part of prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of disease, as a basis and support for other medical treatment and to ensure that the patient will not become under or malnourished. To provide satisfactory services, there is a need for sound and firmly established structures, systems and tools with regard to nutrition, in addition to ensuring that health personnel have the needed qualifications. We believe that the following measures will support the effort to achieve the goal to reduce salt consumption:
Specify the official dietary guidelines. These will be launched early in 2009 Establish a dialogue forum at the national level between authorities, NGOs and relevant private actors. - One theme in this dialogue forum will be salt reduction in connection with the communication work. Encourage product development of healthy food products and meals Establish a dialogue forum for cooperation between the food industry, authorities, researchers and consumers - This is established and salt will be one of the themes of discussion. Work to improve labelling of food products, including better nutritional declaration. - Norway is active in the process with the EUs work on provision of food information to consumers. We support a mandatory nutrition declaration which includes salt. Aim to introduce symbol labelling to make it easier to put together a healthy diet - Norway has decided to introduce the Keyhole symbol on healthy foods together with Sweden and Denmark. One of the criteria to make use of the symbol is restriction in salt contents.
96
Revise guidelines for food in kindergartens. These guidelines were launched in 2007 and there is published supporting materials for the staff in the kindergartens with recipes and concrete suggestions on how to follow the guidelines in practise. In the work place: Strengthen qualifications and access to tools on diet and health for personnel groups such as canteen employees, trade union representatives, managers and company health services Prepare and implement professional guidelines and instructions for nutrition therapy - These will also include salt restriction in specific diets - Revise and publish dietary guidelines in health institutions Continue to develop low-threshold dietary-related services Develop informational materials and tools aimed at changing habits including diet for use by the health service, patients/users and relatives Offer a basic cookery book in Food and Health free of charge to pupils at the lower secondary level and to education majors. - The cookery book is also in ordinary sale, and is offered cheap to the municipals. - Recipes are based on the official dietary guidelines. Promote research to stimulate development of better and healthier products Continue and develop further monitoring of the population's diet - The Directorate for Health and Social Affairs and Norwegian Food Safety Authority have a joint system for food and dietary monitoring that includes a food database, dietary calculation system and dietary surveys. The food database and dietary calculation system are necessary tools for being able to estimate the intake of various nutrients. The food database continuously analyses food with respect to its nutritional content and the results are published collectively in the Food Composition Table (www.matvaretabellen.no). - National representative diet surveys that make it possible to estimate the intake of calories and nutrients by various age groups have been conducted since 1993. The plan is to repeat such surveys in these age groups every 10 years. - In addition to the major diet surveys, annual statistics on national food supplies, Statistics Norway's consumer surveys of private households and various market surveys are used to describe changes in the Norwegian diet. - The major Norwegian health surveys contribute much valuable data on diet-related health problems and risk factors. As a rule these surveys also include questions on diet. Statistics Norway conducts regular interview surveys about health and living conditions among nationally representative samples of adults.
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes No x Which? Norwegian Action Plan on Nutrition 2007-2011
3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:... x x x x
97
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs Set benchmarks and major food categories 2009 Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness 2009 Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering 2008 Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation other:...
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? .. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of 50%. % over .years
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Answer: No specific benchmarks for the different products. For some of these there are criterias in the Keyhole labelling system. Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
98
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. The Health Authorities will be responsible for the communication actions specifying the dietary guidelines and communicate what the keyholde symbol means. There will be a cooperation with NGO`s and the food industry.
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:... Answer: The food industry will have to reach the criterias for salt content in the Keyhole labelling system in order to use the label. We will also discuss this in the dialogue forum with the food industry. 9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry x Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data x Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers x Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? The details are not ready yet for the evaluation of the Keyhole labelling system. For monitoring salt content of foods in general, we use intake data on foods and reports from the industry based on national food supplies and on Statistics Norway consumer surveys on private households. Analyses of food is needed to publish the national Food Composition Table (matvaretabellen.no). There are also regular interview surveys about health and living conditions among national representative samples of adults.
99
SWITZERLAND
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes No 3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other: International collaboration.............. Which? National Programme on Nutrition and Physical Activity 20082012)
100
When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs 2009 Set benchmarks and major food categories 2008 Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness 2009 Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering 2008 Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation 2008 other:...
4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? 2008.. 5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of 16. % over .4years
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
NOTE: Amount of salt reduction of the above ticked food categories are not yet defined
101
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. A cooperation with the national Heart Health Association is planned. Details are not yet fixed.
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:...
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? A national nutrition survey is currently in preparation. Pilot studies will start in 2008, the national survey will be ran in 2012.
102
Blank template
2) Is your national salt initiative part of a broader program? Yes No 3) Key elements Which of the following 5 key elements and potential additional elements does your national salt initiative comprise? Collect data on salt consumption and major contributing food categories Setting of benchmarks and major food categories Actions to raise public awareness Actions to inspire industry/catering to reformulate food products Monitoring & evaluation of actions and reformulation activities other:... When did you start working or when do you plan to start working on each of the 5 key elements? Determine additional data needs Set benchmarks and major food categories Develop and implement actions to raise public awareness Develop reformulation actions with industry/catering Develop and implement plan to monitor actions & reformulation other:... 4) Baseline Which time did you decide as the baseline for salt levels that should be reduced by the reformulation benchmarks? .. 103 Which?
5) Minimum overall benchmarks for salt reduction Which minimum benchmark for overall salt reduction of foods - in the absence of more specific benchmarks for major food categories - did you set? Overall salt reduction benchmark of . % over .years
6) Major food categories and specific benchmarks for salt reduction Which major food categories and which specific minimum benchmarks for salt reduction for this food category did you decide to focus on in your national salt initiative? Please tick the food categories that you selected from the enclosed list (minimum 5) and indicate for the ones that you ticked the benchmarks of minimum salt reduction that you decided on. If you selected more detailed sub-categories with benchmarks please insert them under the category. Bread Meat products Cheeses Ready meals Soups Breakfast cereals Fish products Crisps, savoury snacks Catering meals Restaurant meals Sauces, condiments& spices Potato products reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years reduction by .% in .years
7) Raising public awareness If you have planned or carry out your actions to raise public awareness already could you please describe those actions? Please describe, which partners (NGOs, industry, media, health sector, national platform,) will be involved, whether and which media you plan to use, etc. (max. 150 words please)
8) Approach to industry What is your actual or planned approach to work with industry or other reformulation partners on the benchmarks? Direct agreements with single companies Direct agreements with industry sectors (bakeries) Asking single companies to submit their individual reduction plans Asking each industry sector to submit their individual reduction plans other:...
104
9) Monitoring If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate population salt intake, reformulation progress towards the benchmarks, and the effectiveness of actions to raise public awareness already could you please check the boxes describing them? Self reporting framework by industry Monitoring salt content of foods, intake data Awareness of consumers / behavioural change in consumers Sodium excretion surveys other:... If you monitor or if you have planned your actions to monitor and evaluate your actions and the reformulation activities already could you please describe them? (max. 150 words please)
Brussels, September 2008
105