The Health and Cost Impacts of Sodium Reduction Interventions in Australia

<p dir="ltr">High sodium intake continues to contribute significantly to preventable illness and increases risks of heart disease, stroke, and stomach cancer. This report uses proportional multistate lifetable modelling to assess the likely impacts of several sodium reduction strategies, including food reformulation, potassium chloride substitution, and mass media campaigns. Of these strategies, mandatory implementation of WHO benchmarks was the most effective, potentially delivering 255,000 additional healthy life years and saving the health system nearly AU$1 billion over 20 years. We find that health gains are greater for disadvantaged groups, however; the effects on inequality are modest. The health and economic benefits outweighed implementation costs and the interventions were cost-effective. Still, results suggest that no single strategy is enough and it requires a comprehensive and coordinated action to reduce sodium intake at a population level.</p>