Sodium intake in young Ghanaians and how to lower it
What it found
Sodium intake among Ghanaians is well above the World Health Organization recommended level, and the paper calls for government policies and education campaigns to bring it down.
The evidence comes from population surveys and other studies in people.
What they found
Studies in people
Sodium intake in Ghana
Among Ghanaians, women had a median sodium intake of 8.6 g per day and men 7.5 g per day. Younger adults under 50 took in 9.7 g per day, more than older adults at 8.1 g per day.
Above recommended level
These intake levels are above the World Health Organization recommendation of 2 g of sodium, equal to 5 g of salt, per person per day. About one third of Ghana's population has high blood pressure.
Traditional foods and salt
Traditional foods such as salted fish, salted cured fish and salt-preserved meats add to sodium intake. Many Ghanaians also add salt to food at the table.
Street food in Africa
In Uganda, street food contributed 38.4% of daily sodium and 49.1% of fat intake. Half of consumers in sub-Saharan African cities preferred to eat breakfast at street food locations.
Sodium reduction programs
A salt reduction program in the United Kingdom cut average salt intake by 15%. In Nigeria, similar efforts lowered 24 hour urinary sodium and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure.
Other findings
Taxes on salty foods
Hungary's 2011 tax on packaged foods high in salt led to a 26% drop in salt intake over three years. Finland's 2011 tax on salty snacks cut sales by 20%, and France's 2013 tax reduced the salt content of affected products.
What the authors conclude
“Protecting young adults in Ghana and other African countries from premature CVD and various complications requires urgent action to lower sodium intake.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say that urgent action is needed to lower sodium intake to protect young adults in Ghana and other African countries from premature cardiovascular disease.
- They call for multi-level strategies that include assessing community and neighborhood food environments, such as chop bars and restaurants that influence diet.
- They advise that effective government policy to reduce sodium levels in food can lower sodium intake across the population.
How it was done
The authors say that excessive sodium intake is linked to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, and that Ghana has a young population that could be protected from these problems. They wanted to highlight what drives high sodium consumption and what other countries have done that worked.
The authors reviewed existing studies and reports on sodium intake in Ghana and other African countries, and on sodium reduction programs in Europe and South Africa. They did not run a new experiment or trial.
What it can’t tell you
- This paper pulls together other studies and reports. It did not run its own experiment, so it cannot prove that any single policy or program would lower sodium intake or improve health in Ghana.
- The studies it describes from other countries may not work the same way in Ghana because food environments and cultures differ.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no conflict of interest.
- Authors work at
- NYU School of Global Public Health, USA; University of Ghana, Ghana; Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, USA
The paper
- Title
- Reducing Dietary Sodium Intake among Young Adults in Ghana: A Call to Action
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Peprah E, Amegbor P, Laar A, Akasoe B, Commodore-Mensah Y (2023). Reducing Dietary Sodium Intake among Young Adults in Ghana: A Call to Action. Nutrients. doi:10.3390/nu15163562Free full textPubMed 37630752DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error