Fijians are consuming about 10 grams of salt every day, twice the World Health Organization's (WHO) recommended daily intake of 5 grams, raising concerns about the impact of high sodium consumption on cardiovascular health.
This was highlighted by the Consumer Council of Fiji's Project Officer Nishalni Chand during her oral presentation at the Pacific Islands Health Research Symposium at the Fiji National University in Nasinu.
Chand says according to the 2025 Fiji National STEPS Report, excessive sodium and low potassium intake are identified as two dietary risk factors that need greater attention in Fiji.
She says while Fiji's salt iodisation programme has been successful in addressing iodine deficiency, it does not address the amount of sodium people consume.
Chand says they are now looking at the potential introduction of potassium-enriched salt, where some of the sodium chloride in regular salt is replaced with potassium chloride.
However, she says access and affordability remain a significant challenge in Fiji because regular salt is supplied by at least nine importers and is available at a cheaper price, while potassium-enriched salt has only one supplier and is sold at a higher price.
She adds that existing provisions under the Food Safety Act could provide a pathway for introducing appropriate food standards and mandatory labelling without requiring new legislation.
