WHO issues first sodium recommendations for children GENEVA
(Reuters) - The World Health Organization (WHO) has for the
first time recommended limits on children's daily consumption of
sodium which it hoped would help in the global fight against
diet-related diseases becoming chronic among all populations. In
advice to its 194 member states on Thursday, the U.N. agency
noted high sodium levels were a factor behind elevated blood
pressure, which increases the risk of heart disease and stroke,
the number one cause of death and disability worldwide. Heart
disease, stroke and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such
as diabetes, cancer and chronic respiratory disease kill more
people globally each year than all other causes combined, the
agency said. "Diet-related NCDs are chronic, and take years and
decades to manifest; thus, delaying the onset of these diseases
could improve lives and result in substantial cost savings," it
said. "Thus, addressing, during childhood, the problem of
elevated blood pressure and