Tamil Nadu Minister for Health and Family Welfare K.G. Arunraj on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) announced in the Legislative Assembly that the State government would implement a Statewide mission to reduce the amount of salt in the daily diet of the public.
Dr. Arunraj said non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, stroke, and kidney disorders were among the most important public health challenges in Tamil Nadu. Nearly 50% of medically certified deaths in Tamil Nadu are caused by cardiovascular diseases. Approximately 1.8 crore people in Tamil Nadu are living with hypertension.
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The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that a person should consume less than five grams of salt a day. However, scientific studies indicate that the people of Tamil Nadu consume an average of 7 to 8 grams of salt per day. Studies have also found that approximately 88% of the salt consumed as part of the South Indian diet comes from salt added during cooking at home. Global scientific studies have established that even a reduction of just one gram of salt per day can significantly lower blood pressure, he said.
Further, an international study involving approximately 21,000 people who used a low-sodium salt substitute, in which a portion of the sodium was replaced with potassium, demonstrated a 14% reduction in strokes and a 12% reduction in overall mortality. Based on this scientific evidence, the State government has decided to formulate and implement an integrated strategy to reduce high salt consumption in Tamil Nadu, Dr. Arunraj said.
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Statewide survey
Announcing the key initiatives under the mission, Dr. Arunraj said for the first time, a Statewide survey based on urine samples would be undertaken to scientifically determine the current level of salt consumption among the people of Tamil Nadu.
Standards would be implemented to gradually reduce the amount of salt used in kitchens under the direct control of the government, including those serving the Nutritious Meal Programme, the Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, government hospitals and hostels, he said.
The feasibility of making available to the public a low-sodium salt substitute, in which a portion of sodium is replaced with potassium and which does not produce a noticeable difference in taste, would be studied as a pilot project in selected areas, he said.
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Through the ‘Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam’ initiative and Health and Wellness Centres, people with hypertension would receive systematic counselling on reducing salt intake. A Statewide awareness campaign will be undertaken to educate people about salt content in food and simple ways to gradually reduce the excessive use of salt in everyday home cooking, he added.