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Salt consumption in the Netherlands
More than 85% of the Dutch population exceed the recommended maximum salt consumption of 6 grams a day. Adult men eat nearly 10 grams of salt a day on average, and women 7.5 grams. This high salt consumption begins early on in life: boys consume 8.3 grams of salt a day on average, and girls 6.8. These figures appeared in an RIVM study of salt consumption in the Netherlands published in February 2012.
Most of the salt in people’s diet comes from bread, meat
products and cheese. In addition, a fifth of the total amount of
salt consumed is added at table and during cooking. Excessive salt
consumption can raise the blood pressure, thus increasing the risk
of cardiovascular diseases. People with a high salt consumption
often eat more than people with a low salt consumption, but in
addition they often choose food with a higher salt content.
The 15% of the Dutch population who eat less than 6 grams of salt a
day show that it is possible to keep within the recommended limits.
Consumers can take steps themselves to reduce their salt
consumption by changing their diet. Another way of reducing salt
consumption is for food manufacturers to lower the salt
content in their products.
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