Muscat: The Ministry of Health has asked bakeries in Oman to reduce salt levels in bread products.
The strategy aims to reduce consumption of salt at the national level over the next 3-4 years by 30 per cent.
“Such strategy would help in reducing exposure to strokes and heart disease rates in the next five years,” says Dr Saeed Al Lamki, the director general of the Primary Health Care at the ministry.
High salt intake is cited as a reason for high blood pressure, which in seen as a major cause of strokes and heart disease.
Al Lamki said reducing salt is a global policy in the field of public health.
The strategy will be implemented within two months, according to the ministry.
Rashad Mustafa, a medical professional at one of the private health institutions, told Gulf News that consuming more salt can affect internal organs that include the blood vessels, heart, kidney and brain.
Rashad advises the consumers not to add more salt in their foods, as it also reduces the renal function and causes hypertension.
More than 40 per cent of Omanis suffer from high blood pressure, according to Ministry of Health figures.
Millions of rials are spent every year to treat those patients nationwide.
