WHO: Cardiovascular diseases kill 10,000 Europeans a day
Last reviewed: 14.06.2024
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Cardiovascular disease is responsible for 40 percent of deaths in Europe, the World Health Organization (WHO) said, urging Europeans to reduce their salt intake.
That amounts to 10,000 deaths per day, or four million per year.
“Implementing targeted policies to reduce salt intake by 25 percent could save an estimated 900,000 lives from cardiovascular disease by 2030,” said Hans Kluge, director of WHO Europe, in a statement.
In Europe, one in three adults aged 30 to 79 suffers from hypertension, often due to salt intake.
Fifty-one of the 53 countries in the WHO European region have average daily salt intakes above the WHO recommended maximum of five grams, or one teaspoon, mainly due to processed foods and snacks.
“High salt intake increases blood pressure, which is a leading risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes,” WHO said.
Europe has the highest prevalence of high blood pressure in the world, the organization noted.
According to a WHO Europe report, men in the region are almost 2.5 times more likely to die from cardiovascular diseases than women.
There is also a geographical gap: the likelihood of premature death (aged 30-69 years) from cardiovascular disease is almost five times higher in Eastern Europe and Central Asia compared to Western Europe.