Abstract
Background and Rationale
Sodium consumption of the population worldwide, particularly in low- and middle-income
countries including Thailand, remains much higher than the recommendations. The World Health
Organization (WHO) has set a target to reduce salt and sodium consumption by at least 30% to
achieve the goal of a daily sodium intake of <2000 mg. One of the strategies to reduce sodium intake
is to lower the salt and sodium content in packaged foodห that majorly contributes to sodium
intake. This has led to the setting of sodium benchmarks for different food categories at global,
regional, and national levels to serve as targets for sodium reduction in food products. However,
Thailand currently lacks its national sodium benchmark. Furthermore, existing Southeast Asian
regional and global benchmarks may not be suitable for the country’s situation and context, making
them difficult to implement in practice. Additionally, there is a lack of baseline data regarding sodium
content in food products, which is a limitation in formulating measures and setting targets for salt
and sodium reduction. This research project, therefore, aims to establish Thailand’s SBM for different
food categories according to principles and guidelines consistent with international criteria and
suitable for the sodium consumption situation and context of Thailand.
Methodology
The project utilized secondary data from various databases to develop baseline data on
sodium content in different food product categories in order to identify the priority categories that
should undergo sodium reduction. Subsequently, sodium benchmarks were determined by
comparing the sodium content of products available in Thailand with the sodium benchmark of
WHO South-East Asia Region (WHO SEARO), while simultaneously considering the suitability and
technical limitations of practice. A public hearing was conducted with stakeholders from various
sectors to gather opinions and suggestions regarding the criteria. These findings were used to develop
policy proposals for Thailand’s sodium benchmark, guidelines for setting sodium targets in food
products, and target values for each phase of implementation.
Key Findings
The project has successfully established Thailand’s sodium benchmark for different food
categories, including processed meat, processed fish and seafood, seasonings, savory snacks, bakery
products, bread, ready-to-eat meals, and instant foods, following WHO SEARO guidelines and
international principles. These benchmarks were determined based on the amount of sodium Thais
receive from each product type, calculated from the sodium content of market-available products
and consumption data of the Thai population, combined with the number of products passing the
WHO SEARO’s sodium benchmark. This allowed for the prioritization of product categories requiring
sodium benchmark, with priority given to products contributing to the sodium intake of eater
population >600 mg/eater/day for ready-to-eat and instant foods, or >200 mg/eater/day for other
product categories. The products with the highest priority for sodium benchmark setting include:
Whole muscle meat products, non-heat preservation (WHO Subcategory 14g); Processed fish and
seafood products (WHO Subcategory 14b); Bouillon and soup stock–concentrated (WHO Subcategory
18aii); Dips and dipping sauces (WHO Subcategory 18c); Condiments (WHO Subcategory 18e); Other
Asian-style sauces (WHO Subcategory 18g); Ready-to-eat meals composed of a combination of
carbohydrate and either vegetables or meat, or all three combined (WHO Subcategory 9f); and Pasta,
noodles, and rice or grains with sauce or seasoned–dry-mix, concentrated (WHO Subcategory 9bii).
Based on consultations with experts and stakeholder feedback gathered through public
hearings, the project proposed a two-phase implementation framework for establishing sodium
benchmarks. In Phase I, with an implementation period of five years, the proposed maximum sodium
target for each product category is set at the 70th percentile (P70) of the sodium content within
each category, except for categories of which the P70 value is lower than the sodium benchmark
established by the WHO SEARO. In Phase II, also spanning five years, the proposed maximum sodium
threshold is set either at the 50th percentile (P50) of sodium content at baseline, or at a level
representing a 10–20% reduction from the Phase I sodium benchmark, depending on the product
type and technological feasibility. However, there are limitations regarding the limited product’s
sodium content datapoint and obsolete consumption data for some product categories. The project
also formulates a policy brief to establish operational mechanisms, monitoring and evaluation, and
support systems that will enable stakeholders in the food system to practically implement the
proposed sodium benchmark. These must be carried out alongside the reduction of sodium in outof-
home food, which is a major source of sodium consumed by the Thais, as well as consumer
education to raise awareness and change the salt consumption behavior to ensure systematic
sodium reduction and maximum achievement.
The outputs of this research project will be beneficial to government agencies responsible
for regulating and driving measures to reduce salt and sodium in food products for the sustainable
reduction of salt and sodium consumption in Thailand.
