Chips, chanachur loaded with excess salt – cause 24,000 deaths a year
Processed foods like chips, chanachur, instant noodles driving excess salt consumption, they warn
Widely consumed foods in Bangladesh such as chips, chanachur, instant noodles, pickles, soups, and salty biscuits contain high levels of salt, and health experts have warned that excessive salt intake is linked to nearly 24,000 deaths annually.
At a public awareness seminar marking World Salt Awareness Week 2026, they said an average Bangladeshi adult consumes around 9 grams of salt a day – almost double the limit recommended by the World Health Organization.
Experts also stressed that alongside individual awareness, coordinated efforts by food producers and regulatory authorities can significantly reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCD) such as heart disease and stroke.
Bangladesh Food Safety Authority Chairman Md Anwarul Islam chaired the seminar.
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At the event, Bangladesh Food Safety Authority Member (Food Industry and Production) Professor Dr Mohammad Shoeb said excessive salt intake is now a major global public health concern, raising blood pressure and contributing to heart disease, unhealthy weight gains and other complications.
Dr Ahmed Khairul Abrar, assistant scientist at the National Heart Foundation Hospital, said around 71% of total deaths in Bangladesh are due to NCDs, with 51% occurring prematurely.
He added that high salt intake increases risks of hypertension, heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and stomach cancer.
"Hidden salt" in packaged foods
Professor Sohel Reza Choudhury, head of the Epidemiology and Research Department at the National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute, expressed concern over "hidden salt" in processed and packaged foods.
He said foods such as chips, chanachur, instant noodles, pickles, soups and biscuits often contain high levels of salt.
Even many sweet-tasting foods may contain excessive sodium, which remains unknown to most consumers, he said, adding that people therefore unknowingly consume salt far beyond the recommended limit.
Experts for warning labels, stronger regulation
Experts at the seminar said effective measures, including mandatory front-of-pack warning labels to identify high-salt foods, reformulation of processed foods, and educational campaigns, should be implemented to contain the problem.
Professor Md Saidul Arefin, director of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Science at Dhaka University, said the consumption of processed foods in the country is rising at an alarming rate. The growing tendency to consume packaged foods among children, adolescents, and adults could further increase the risk of non-communicable diseases in the future.
He emphasised the need to raise awareness among parents to build healthy eating habits from an early age and to create an environment that promotes low-salt, healthy food in schools, hospitals, and workplaces through coordinated policies.
Prof Sohel Reza stressed the need for mandatory front-of-pack warning labels, reformulated processed foods, and stronger awareness campaigns to address the issue effectively.
Faruk Ahmed, director general of the National Consumer Rights Protection Directorate, said ensuring safe and healthy food requires clear display of accurate nutritional information on packaging and effective enforcement.
He also stressed that the government and all relevant stakeholders must work together to raise public awareness, strengthen the food labelling system, and encourage healthy eating habits.
