Tamil NaduWednesday, 9 September 2026·Hindu Tamil Thisai
TN to launch salt-reduction strategy, survey and low-sodium salt study to curb hypertension
Tamil Nadu will conduct a urine-sample survey and awareness drive to reduce salt intake, after citing 1.8 crore people with hypertension and 50% of certified deaths linked to heart and vascular diseases.
Key highlights
Direct fact
In September 2026, Tamil Nadu Health Minister Aruna Raj announced in the Assembly a state-wide strategy to reduce salt intake, after stating that 1.8 crore people in the State live with hypertension and that 50% of certified deaths are due to heart and vascular diseases.
Key specifics
- WHO recommends less than 5 grams of salt per day for one person.
- Tamil Nadu people reportedly consume 7 to 8 grams of salt daily on average.
- About 88% of the salt intake comes from home cooking, according to the report cited.
- A 1 gram reduction in daily salt can cut heart-disease deaths by 7% and stroke deaths by 10%.
- A study on about 21,000 people using low-sodium salt found 14% lower stroke and 12% lower overall deaths.
Exam lens
TNPSC public health and schemes question: WHO salt limit, 1.8 crore hypertension burden, 88% home-cooking source, and the proposed urine-sample survey are the key facts to remember.