Sodium Reduction Resource Library

General Implementation Tools

Annotated Bibliography on Sodium Reduction

Key Resource

Resolve to Save Lives

A collection of literature relevant to the science of salt reduction and on sodium reduction interventions

Global Sodium Reduction Strategies Course

Key Resource

John Hopkins University

A nine-module online course to help policy makers and health advocates design, plan, and implement global sodium reduction interventions at low- and middle-income countries

The SHAKE Technical Package for Salt Reduction

Key Resource

World Health Organization

A technical package designed to assist countries with the development, implementation, and monitoring of salt reduction strategies to reduce population salt intake

Accelerating Salt Reduction in Europe

World Health Organization – Europe

A support package to help countries in the European region to initiate or accelerate efforts towards population sodium reduction

Reducing Cardiovascular Disease Through Salt Reduction (English/Spanish/Chinese)

Resolve to Save Lives

Communication cards featuring 6 strategies to implement for successful population sodium reduction (available in: Spanish | Chinese)

Salt-Smart Americas

Pan American Health Organization

A technical package that offers a rationale and recommendations for a population-based approach to reduce dietary salt intake in adults and children in the Americas

WHO Sodium Country Score Card

World Health Organization

WHO’s monitoring tool that tracks countries’ progress in implementing policies and programs on population sodium reduction

Sodium Literature

Annotated Bibliography on Sodium Reduction

Key Resource

Resolve to Save Lives

A collection of literature relevant to the science of salt reduction and on sodium reduction interventions

Priority Actions to Advance Population Sodium Reduction

Ide, N. et al. Nutrients. 2020.

An article identifying high priority strategies that address reduction of sodium intake through home-cooked food, packaged food, food consumed outside the home

Communications & Advocacy

Advocacy Action Guide: A Toolkit for Strategic Policy Advocacy Campaigns

Global Health Advocacy Incubator

A how-to guide in planning and conducting an effective advocacy campaign that aims to strengthen public health policies

Public Health Media Advocacy Action Guide: Elements of a Media Action Campaign

Global Health Advocacy Incubator

A how-to guide in planning and conducting an effective media advocacy campaign that aims to strengthen public health policies

Nutrient Profiling

Nutrient Profile Models: A critical tool to enable nutrition policy interventions

Resolve to Save Lives

Document outlines the five key stages in adapting NPMs to country-specific contexts

Front-of-Package Labeling

Building momentum: Lessons on implementing a robust front-of-pack food label

Key Resource

World Cancer Research Fund International

A report on key recommendations and advice to policymakers who are designing and implementing front-of pack food labelling in nutrition policies

What’s in Our Food? A guide to introduce effective front-of-package nutrient labels

Key Resource

Vital Strategies & Global Food Research Program University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

A guidebook on the development of effective front-of-package nutrient labels

Front-of-Package (FOP) Food Labelling: Empowering consumers and promoting healthy diets

Global Food Research Program University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

A fact sheet presenting evidence and progress of food labelling policies globally

Global Industry Tactics to Weaken Front-of-Package Labeling Policies

Global Health Advocacy Incubator

A newsletter of the latest updates on food industry tactics that block front-of-package labeling policies worldwide

PAHO: Front-of-package labeling as a policy tool for the prevention of noncommunicable diseases in the Americas

Pan American Health Organization

A report on key considerations and recommendations to the use of front-of-package labeling as an effective policy tool to reduce demand and support for ultra-processed food products with high sodium, fat, and sugar content

PAHO: Research to Support the Development of Front-of-Package Labeling Regulations for Food Products in the Americas: Methods, Tools, and Procedures

Pan American Health Organization

A report on methods, tools, procedures, and key recommendations on how to conduct research into front-of-package labeling

Sodium Targets for Packaged Food

PAHO Regional Sodium Targets

Key Resource

Pan American Health Organization

Newly revised PAHO regional sodium targets for cardiovascular disease prevention through population-wide dietary salt reduction (released October 2021)

WHO Global Sodium Benchmarks for different food categories

Key Resource

World Health Organization

A document that sets global sodium benchmarks for different food categories to help reduce salt intake using country experiences (released in 2021)

Setting Targets for Salt Level in Foods: A five-step approach for low- and middle- income countries

Downs, S.M. et al. Food Policy. 2015.

An article that identifies a five-step approach for setting sodium level targets in foods in LMICs

Behavior Change/Media Campaigns

Reducing Sodium in Your Diet

John Hopkins Medicine

An informational video that addresses the role of sodium in one’s diet and its effects on cardiovascular health

Salt Reduction Guide for Patients, Nurses, and Schools

Resolve to Save Lives

A communication guide for patients, nurses, and school staff that features steps and approaches to reduce dietary salt intake. Salt Reduction Guide for Patients (available in: English | Hindi | Telugu) Sodium Reduction Counselling Guide For Nurses (available in: English | Hindi | Telugu) Also adapted for Ethiopia Nurses and Schools in Ethiopia

Salt Reduction Media Campaign in China: Hear What the Doctor Says

Salt reduction public service announcement from Resolve to Save Lives in China (Chinese with English subtitles) / 减盐科普短片（决心工程中国团队出品)

Salt Reduction Media Campaign in China: Love with Less Salt

Vital Strategies – China & partners

A media campaign launched in China in 2019 warning people about the dangers of too much salt in their diet and its link to an increased risk of hypertension and stroke. Click here to see Hear What the Doctor Says, another educational video launched in China promoting a low sodium diet to improve cardiovascular health. 减盐公益广告（决心工程中国合作伙伴制

Salt Reduction Media Campaign in China: Low-salt home cooking recipe

Video for Low-salt home cooking from Resolve to Save Lives in China (Chinese with English subtitles) / 减盐科普短片（决心工程中国团队出品)

Salt Reduction Media Campaign in Ethiopia

Vital Strategies, Ministry of Health – Ethiopia

A video launched in Ethiopia to increase awareness of excess daily salt intake that leads to cardiovascular disease

Salt Reduction Media Campaign in Vietnam

Vietnam Ministry of Health and Partners

Testimonial style video on the harmful effects of high sodium consumption

Top Tips for Sodium Reduction

Resolve to Save Lives

A fact sheet about tips on reducing dietary salt intake for Americans

Low-Sodium Salt Substitutes

Core Strategies to Increase the Uptake and Use of Potassium-Enriched Low-Sodium Salt

Ajenikoko, A. et al. Nutrients. 2021.

Proposes a framework for a scalable and sustainable approach of low-sodium salt use in the home and identifies challenges and potential solutions for effectiveness of this strategy

Estimated Population Wide Benefits and Risks in China of Lowering Sodium Through Potassium Enriched Salt Substitution: Modelling Study

Marklund, M. et al., The BMJ. 2020

A study on the benefits of nationwide potassium enriched salt substitution on cardiovascular health in China

Fact sheet: Warning Labels for Potassium-Enriched Low-Sodium Salts

Short guide on potential use of health warning messages on low sodium salt packaging

Potassium-enriched salt substitutes as a means to lower blood pressure: benefits and risks

Greer, R.C. et al. Hypertension. 2020.

Presents the rationale, current evidence on benefits and risks, and implications for using potassium-enriched salt substitutes as a strategy to lower blood pressure

Warning Labels for Potassium-Enriched Low-Sodium Salts

Resolve to Save Lives, John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

A report justifying use of warning labels on potassium-enriched low sodium salts for consumers who have added risk on using the product

Marketing Restrictions

NOURISHING Database: Restrict food advertising and other forms of commercial promotion

World Cancer Research Fund International

A collection of policies that different countries have in place to reduce children’s exposure to food marketing

Set of recommendations on the marketing of foods and non-alcoholic beverages to children

World Health Organization

A set of recommendations for national and international action to limit marketing of ultra-processed foods to children

Sodium Added Outside the Home

Action framework for developing and implementing public food procurement and service policies for a healthy diet

Key Resource

World Health Organization

A resource that provides guidance for governments on how to develop, implement, and strengthen a healthy public food procurement or service on a national or sub-national level