Paldal-gu: 'Bringing Down' Sodium Intake, 'Raising Up' Health

Paldal-gu in Suwon on the 22nd announced plans to establish a healthy dining environment by selecting approximately 10 restaurants in the district as a pilot zone for sodium reduction dining, and will create 'participating healthy restaurants' through preliminary briefings with restaurant owners.

The district stated that sodium, a major cause of chronic diseases such as hypertension, is currently at 4,878mg annually—2.4 times higher than the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended daily intake of 2,000mg—and is on an increasing trend. Excessive sodium intake is a major cause of hypertension, stroke, and heart disease, and increases the incidence of kidney disease and gastric cancer.

The district plans to designate 'participating healthy restaurants' in December by drafting and evaluating standard recipes for signature menu items at each restaurant and analyzing nutritional components to consult on methods to reduce sodium in recipes, enabling the development of low-sodium menus.