Portal de investigação
Modeling the health impact of legislation to limit the salt content of bread in Portugal: A macro simulation study
Data de publicação:
Autores da FMUP
Participantes de fora da FMUP
- Goiana-da-Silva, Francisco
- Cruz-e-Silva, David
- Rito, Ana
- Muc, Magdalena
- Darzi, Ara
- Araujo, Fernando
- Miraldo, Marisa
- Nunes, Alexandre Morais
- Allen, Luke N.
Unidades de investigação
Abstract
BackgroundExcessive salt consumption-associated with a range of adverse health outcomes-is very high in Portugal, and bread is the second largest source. Current Portuguese legislation sets a maximum limit of 1.4 g salt per 100 g bread, but imported and traditional breads are exempted. In 2017 the Ministry of Health proposed reducing the salt threshold to 1.0/100 g by 2022, however the legislation was vetoed by the European Commission on free-trade grounds. AimsTo estimate the health impact of subjecting imported and traditional breads to the current 1.4 g threshold, and to model the potential health impact of implementing the proposed 1.0 g threshold. MethodsWe gathered bread sales, salt consumption, and epidemiological data from robust publicly available data sources. We used the open source WHO PRIME modeling tool to estimate the number of salt-related deaths that would have been averted in 2016 (the latest year for which all data were available) from; (1) Extending the 1.4 g threshold to all types of bread, and (2) Applying the 1.0 g threshold to all bread sold in Portugal. We used Monte Carlo simulations to generate confidence intervals. ResultsApplying the current 1.4 g threshold to imported and traditional bread would have averted 107 deaths in 2016 (95% CI: 43-172). Lowering the current threshold from 1.4 to 1.0 g and applying it to all bread products would reduce daily salt consumption by 3.6 tons per day, saving an estimated 286 lives a year (95% CI: 123-454). ConclusionsSalt is an important risk factor in Portugal and bread is a major source. Lowering maximum permissible levels and removing exemptions would save lives. The European Commission should revisit its decision on the basis of this new evidence.
Dados da publicação
- ISSN/ISSNe:
- 2296-2565, 2296-2565
- Tipo:
- Article
- Páginas:
- -
- Link para outro recurso:
- www.scopus.com
Frontiers in Public Health Frontiers Media S.A.
Citações Recebidas na Web of Science: 3
Citações Recebidas na Scopus: 3
Documentos
- Não há documentos
Filiações
Keywords
- public health; salt; policy; NCD and risk factors; nutrition
Proyectos asociados
Tracking the acquisition of eating habits in children and its effects on behaviours related to appetite
Investigador Principal: Carla Maria de Moura Lopes
Estudo Clínico Académico . 2019
Citar a publicação
Goiana F,Cruz D,Rito A,Lopes C,Muc M,Darzi A,Araujo F,Miraldo M,Nunes AM,Allen LN. Modeling the health impact of legislation to limit the salt content of bread in Portugal: A macro simulation study. Front. Public Health. 2022. 10. 876827. IF:5,200. (1).
