Serious Steps Must Be Taken on This Issue: Avanesyan

The Minister of Health Anahit Avanesyan believes that an aggressive and large-scale campaign has started against the salt law in Armenia. However, she insists that serious steps need to be taken on this issue.

“In Armenia, we use double the amount of salt; serious measures must be taken,” the minister said during a meeting with reporters.

Avanesyan noted that they are working with public catering establishments to review the amount of salt in food. According to her, the public catering entities are approaching the issue constructively. At the moment, the project is still in the discussion phase.

It is worth mentioning that the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Armenia is proposing amendments to the law on trade and services and the code on administrative offenses. According to the draft, it will be prohibited to place salt shakers on tables in public catering establishments without a request from the consumer, otherwise, the operator will be fined.

According to the World Health Organization, the amount of salt in food should not exceed 5 grams per day, while in Armenia its consumption is double the threshold set by the WHO. Studies indicate that excessive salt consumption increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases and strokes.