Hanoi (VNA) – Most of Vietnamesepeople have been eating too much salt, nearly double the World HealthOrganisation (WHO)-recommend level of 5g per day, heard a workshop in Hanoi onMarch 27.

At the workshop, Truong Dinh Bac,Deputy Director of the General Department of Preventative Medicine - theorganiser of the event, said the high amount of salt intake results in an increasein the rate of people with high blood pressure and heart diseases.

A national survey carried out in2015 showed that a Vietnamese adult consumed an average of 9.4g of salt a day.

Statistics also revealed thatcurrently, one in every five adults in Vietnam suffers from high blood pressureand one in every three deaths is caused by heart diseases, particularly stroke.

Bac said salt made up a largepart of daily cooking and cuisine of Vietnamese, while salt intake in advancedcountries mostly comes from processed food or restaurant meals.

A WHO representative said ifeveryone consumes salt at the recommended level, about 2.5 million lives willbe saved worldwide.

Discussions focused on saltconsumption in Vietnam, related health concerns and WHO guidance, andcommunications campaigns on the issue.

The General Department ofPreventative Medicine said it is drafting a national communication plan on saltintake reduction in a bid to prevent heart diseases and other non-communicablediseases.-VNA