Objectives of the research

Excessive salt intake is one of the major dietary risk factors for noncommunicable diseases worldwide. Although mean dietary salt intake of the Japanese population has been decreasing over the long term, but it still remains high. To address this nutritional issue, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare has launched "Strategic Initiatives for a Healthy and Sustainable Food Environment". In this initiative, food-related businesses are expected to set and promote voluntary salt reduction targets in collaboration with industry, academia and government. This study aims to present concrete measures for business operators and local governments through estimating the public health and health economics effects of salt reduction using simulations, as a means of creating an environment in which scientific evidence is utilized for such efforts.