On 12 May 2026, the World Health Organization (WHO) launched the second edition of "SHAKE the salt habit". It's a package of measures to help countries cut how much salt people eat (WHO: SHAKE package launch). WHO's advice for individuals hasn't changed: adults should have less than 2,000 mg of sodium a day, which is less than 5 g of salt (WHO: sodium reduction).
What WHO launched
SHAKE is a technical package for governments, not new personal advice. Its measures are grouped under five headings: Surveillance, Harness industry, Adopt standards for labelling and marketing, Knowledge, and Environment (WHO: SHAKE package launch).
The measures include setting maximum limits or targets for sodium in pre-packaged foods and taxing unhealthy food. WHO gives priority to action led by governments, including rules that food companies must follow (WHO: SHAKE package launch).
Why WHO is pushing on salt
People eat far more than the recommended amount. WHO says average sodium intake is more than twice its recommended limit (WHO: SHAKE package launch). Its fact sheet puts the global average for adults at 4,278 mg of sodium a day in 2021, equivalent to 11 g of salt (WHO: sodium reduction).
WHO links too much sodium to 1.7 million deaths in 2023 (WHO: SHAKE package launch). The main health effect of a high-sodium diet is raised blood pressure, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (WHO: sodium reduction).
Dr Luz Maria De Regil, Director of WHO's Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, said: "Excess salt consumption remains among the top preventable drivers of death globally" (WHO: SHAKE package launch).
How much salt is too much?
Advice differs slightly between WHO and national health bodies:
- WHO: less than 2,000 mg of sodium a day, equivalent to less than 5 g of salt, or just under a teaspoon (WHO: sodium reduction).
- UK: the NHS says adults should have no more than 6 g of salt a day (about 2,400 mg of sodium), around 1 level teaspoon (NHS: salt in your diet).
- US: guidelines recommend adults limit sodium to less than 2,300 mg a day (about 5.8 g of salt), about 1 teaspoon of table salt (FDA: sodium in your diet).
What you can do
In the UK, most of the salt people eat is already in the food they buy. Around three quarters comes from packaged and everyday foods, such as bread, breakfast cereals, meat products and ready meals (NHS: salt in your diet).
WHO suggests these steps (WHO: sodium reduction):
- eat mostly fresh, minimally processed foods
- take the salt shaker off the table
- cook with little or no added salt
- use herbs and spices to flavour food instead of salt
- limit commercial sauces, dressings and instant products
- choose lower-sodium products where you can
The bottom line
WHO's new package is aimed at governments, but the message for individuals is the same as before: most of us eat too much salt. Keeping to less than 5 g a day, for example by choosing fresh, less processed food, helps keep your blood pressure down.
Not medically reviewed. This article is general information, not personal medical advice.
Sources
- WHO launches revamped SHAKE package to help reduce salt intake, World Health Organization, 12 May 2026
- Sodium reduction, World Health Organization fact sheet, 11 May 2026
- Salt in your diet, NHS, last reviewed 17 April 2023
- Sodium in Your Diet, US Food and Drug Administration, content current as of 5 March 2024
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