Tamil Nadu government announces multi-pronged mission to reduce people’s salt intake

Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Minister K.G. Arunraj on Tuesday (September 8, 2026) announced in the Legislative Assembly that the state government will undertake a statewide mission to reduce the amount of salt in the daily diet of the people.

Dr Arunraj said non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, cardiovascular diseases, stroke and kidney diseases are among the most important public health issues in Tamil Nadu. Almost 50% of the officially recorded deaths in Tamil Nadu are due to cardiovascular diseases. Approximately 1.8 million people in Tamil Nadu live with hypertension.

The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that people consume less than five grams of salt per day. However, scientific research shows that people in Tamil Nadu consume an average of 7 to 8 grams of salt per day. Research has also shown that approximately 88% of the salt consumed by South Indians comes from salt added during cooking at home. Global scientific research has found that even reducing intake of just one gram of salt per day can significantly reduce blood pressure, he said.

Additionally, an international study of approximately 21,000 people who used a low-sodium salt substitute, in which some of the sodium was replaced with potassium, demonstrated a 14% reduction in stroke rates and a 12% reduction in overall mortality. “Based on this scientific evidence, the state government has decided to formulate and implement a comprehensive strategy to reduce high salt intake in Tamil Nadu,” said Dr Arunraj.

Statewide survey

Announcing key initiatives under the mission, Dr Arunraj said that for the first time, a state-wide study based on urine samples will be conducted to scientifically determine the current level of salt intake among the people of Tamil Nadu.

Standards will be put in place to gradually reduce the amount of salt used in kitchens under the direct control of the government, including kitchens serving the Nutritious Food Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) scheme, government hospitals and hostels, he said.

The possibility of providing the public with a low-sodium salt substitute, in which some of the sodium is replaced with potassium and which does not cause a noticeable difference in taste, will be studied as a pilot project in selected regions, he said.

Through the Makkalay Thedi Maruthuvam initiative and health and wellness centres, people with hypertension will receive systematic counseling to reduce their salt intake. He said an awareness campaign would be conducted across the state to educate people about salt content in food and simple ways to gradually reduce the excessive use of salt in everyday home cooking.