At the workshop, Truong Dinh Bac, Deputy Director of the General Department of Preventative Medicine - the organiser of the event, said the high amount of salt intake results in an increase in the rate of people with high blood pressure and heart diseases.

A national survey carried out in 2015 showed that a Vietnamese adult consumed an average of 9.4g of salt a day. 

Statistics also revealed that currently, one in every five adults in Vietnam suffers from high blood pressure and one in every three deaths is caused by heart diseases, particularly stroke.

Bac said salt made up a large part of daily cooking and cuisine of Vietnamese, while salt intake in advanced countries mostly comes from processed food or restaurant meals.

A WHO representative said if everyone consumes salt at the recommended level, about 2.5 million lives will be saved worldwide. 

Discussions focused on salt consumption in Vietnam, related health concerns and WHO guidance, and communications campaigns on the issue.

The General Department of Preventative Medicine said it is drafting a national communication plan on salt intake reduction in a bid to prevent heart diseases and other non-communicable diseases.-VNA