Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are currently the leading cause of illness and mortality in Vietnam, accounting for more than 80 percent of total deaths. Many deaths occur while patients are still young, with stroke and cardiovascular diseases serving as the primary causes of death for both men and women.

Dietary shifts, sedentary lifestyles, and an aging population are the core factors driving up the burden of NCDs in Vietnam.

According to health experts, although average salt intake among Vietnamese has shown a downward trend, it remains significantly higher than WHO guidelines.

At the launch of Nutrition and Development Week 2026, organized by the National Institute of Nutrition, Dr. Hoang Thi Duc Ngan, head of the institute's Community Nutrition Department, expressed concern over the high levels of salt consumption among Vietnamese people.

Statistics show that adults aged 18 to 69 in Vietnam consume an average of 8.1g of salt a day. This is considerably higher than the WHO recommendation of less than 5g a day.

Dr. Trinh Hong Son, director of the institute’s Nutrition Education and Communication Center, emphasized that the recommendation to consume less than 5g of salt daily includes more than just seasoning added during cooking.

This figure encompasses sodium naturally present in foods, ready-to-eat products, meals prepared at restaurants, and dipping condiments like fruit seasoning salts.

Citing an example, Son said that eating just one bowl of pho for breakfast could account for 85 percent of the recommended daily salt limit. People therefore need to pay particular attention to their salt intake in the rest of the day's meals to avoid exceeding the level considered safe for their health.

According to experts, prolonged excessive salt consumption is a leading contributor to serious health conditions, including high blood pressure, stroke, cardiovascular disease and kidney disease.

Statistics show that the prevalence of hypertension among people aged 18 to 69 in Vietnam has reached 26 percent, meaning that approximately one in four adults has high blood pressure. Meanwhile, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among adults and children aged five to 18 is also close to 20 percent.

Dr. Ngan said poor dietary habits play a major role. Consuming packaged food products can lead to high intakes of salt, sugar and saturated fat, significantly increasing health risks.

“Poor dietary habits cause disease. Consuming packaged products that contain high amounts of salt, sugar and saturated fat increases health risks. Scientific evidence shows that excessive salt consumption and unhealthy diets are risk factors associated with millions of deaths each year,” Ngan said.

When sodium intake is too high, the body retains more water, increasing pressure on blood vessel walls and raising blood pressure. It can also damage the vascular endothelium and disrupt the sodium-potassium balance. If this condition persists, the risk of cardiovascular disease, kidney disease and stomach cancer increases.

People may consume too much salt for years without noticing any obvious adverse effects on their health, only discovering the problem when their blood pressure rises or a cardiovascular event occurs. Metabolic risk factors are also on the rise, with excessive salt consumption among the contributing factors.

According to experts, Circular 30/2026 issued by the Ministry of Health, which took effect on July 10, 2026, provides guidance on listing ingredients and nutritional values on food labels, establishing a basis for providing consumers with clear and consistent information.

Under the circular, manufacturers must list energy, protein, carbohydrates, fat and sodium on product labels.

However, Ngan pointed out that mandatory labeling does not necessarily mean consumers can read and fully understand the information provided.

A survey conducted in Hai Phong found that only 28 percent of respondents knew how to read nutritional labels to determine salt content. However, 50 percent said they had chosen lower-salt products after reading the information on the back of packaging.

These findings suggest that many people have not developed the habit of reading food labels or do not fully understand the information provided. As a result, they may struggle to determine exactly how much energy, sugar and salt a product contains.

“Consumers therefore need to develop the habit of checking product labels when choosing food. They should look at how much energy a product provides and how much salt, sugar and other ingredients it contains. Parents should also teach their children to read food labels to help them develop good consumer habits,” Ngan said.

Phuong Thuy