Column  Finance and the Social Security System  2019.02.27

【Aging, safety net and fiscal crisis in Japan】No.168: High salt intake

In this column series, Yukihiro Matsuyama, Research Director at CIGS introduces the latest information about aging, safety net and fiscal crisis in Japan with data of international comparison.
Healthcare

The World Health Organization sets the target for daily salt intake for adults at 5 g per day. This number was much higher in Japan in 2007, with an average of 12.0 g for males, 10.3 g for females, and 11.1 g per day combined. However, the overall average has decreased to 9.9 g in 2017, mainly due to the government's educational initiatives (Figure 1). The government aims to lower this number to 8 g by 2022.


Figure 2 shows the salt intake per day by age group in 2017. The figure also indicates that the salt intake of both males and females is the highest in their 60s.


Figure 1: Salt intake per day for adults
168-fig1.png

Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare


Figure 2: Salt intake per day by age group in 2017
168-fig2.png

Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare