Reducing our sodium consumption

Time now for our "Life & Info" segment,... where we focus on information useful for your everyday life.
Today, we are going to talk about food.
More specifically, the amount of sodium in our daily meals.
For more on that, we have our Kim Mok-yeon with us.
So Mok-yeon, it's a known fact that too much salt is bad for us.
Let's start by talking about which countries consume the most salt.

Good morning Mark. Well I was also curious about that so I did some research.
According to a new research led by Queen Mary University of London, China consumes more sodium per person than anywhere else in the world, with an estimated average daily adult consumption of 10.9 grams per person, which is more than double the World Health Organization's recommended limit of 5 grams.
Other countries with similar intakes include Portugal, Montenegro and Benin.

Why do Chinese people consume so much sodium?

Well, Chinese foods, especially those dishes from Sichuan province, are known for their spicy and strong flavors, which come from salty seasonings and spices.
And such dishes are getting more and more popular in South Korea these days.

So Mok-yeon, just walk us through why too much salt is dangerous for our long term health?

Consuming large amounts of salt raises blood pressure which leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
And especially in China, strokes and heart diseases account for about 40% of deaths.

Mok-yeon, I heard that the Chinese government has been working to lower people's salt intake in recent years?

Yes, to help people reduce their salt intake as well as promote a healthy diet, China has been using advertising campaigns to increase public awareness about the dangers of excessive salt intake.
Chinese food companies are also manufacturing low-sodium products.
But despites such efforts, it seems like the love for sodium is still hard to resist.
Southern parts of China, which traditionally consumed less salt than northern regions, also saw salt consumption rise in recent years, exacerbated by the rise in processed foods and eating out.

"A lot of people in China commute from the northern areas to the south and vice versa. Because of this, people can easily taste northern Chinese cuisine."

How about the sodium intake level in South Korea? Are those of us here within those recommended limits?

Unfortunately no Mark. There's no doubt that South Koreans' daily sodium intake had been decreasing over the past decade, but the most recent figure, which is from 2017, showed that the average intake per person dropped to 3,478 milligrams per day which is similar to the U.S. and some European countries.
But still, it's far above the WHO's recommended level of 2,000 milligrams.

Why are Koreans consuming such high levels of sodium?

Well, many experts attribute this to the eating habits of Koreans, because traditionally, a complete Korean table includes Kimchi and stews, which both contain large amounts of salt. Do you like Kor