Low-sodium living tackled
In the Philippines, the burden of kidney disease continues to grow, wherein one Filipino develops kidney disease every hour.
NUTRITION Center of the Philippines Executive Director Dr. Mary Christine Castro.
Daily TribuneIn the Philippines, the burden of kidney disease continues to grow, wherein one Filipino develops kidney disease every hour.
NUTRITION Center of the Philippines Executive Director Dr. Mary Christine Castro.
IN celebration of National Kidney Month, the Philippine Society of Nephrology, together with its partners, advocates, survivors, and families and caregivers of patients with kidney conditions, convened a forum promoting a healthy food environment through low-sodium advocacy.
Photographs by Sean Magbanua for the DAILY TRIBUNE
CALAMANSI serve as natural flavor enhancers in cooking and may help reduce reliance on salt and other high-sodium condiments.
TABLE salt.
For many Filipinos, a simple habit of reaching for salty food may seem harmless. But health experts warn that excessive sodium intake is one of the risk factors that can contribute to kidney disease, a condition affecting millions of people worldwide.
The challenge is reflected in figures from the World Health Organization, which estimates that 674 million people are living with chronic kidney disease (CKD) globally.
In the Philippines, the burden of kidney disease continues to grow, wherein one Filipino develops kidney disease every hour.
Against this backdrop, the Philippine Society of Nephrology gathered healthcare workers, advocates, survivors, families and caregivers of patients with kidney complications at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Quezon City for the “Iwas Alat, Iwas Sakit” Lay Forum in celebration of National Kidney Month.
Among the forum’s speakers was Nutrition Center of the Philippines (NCP) executive director Dr. Mary Christine Castro, who shared the most practical ways to protect kidney health through reducing sodium consumption.
Checking sodium content in food items
Dr. Castro presented data from the 2018–2019 Philippine National Nutrition Survey, which revealed the percentage of Filipino households most consumed food items.
“Salt ranks the highest, [followed by] soy sauce at 34 percent, MSG or vetsin, seasoning mix, sardines and iodized salt,” she said, noting that the mentioned items are among the top 30 most consumed food items by Filipinos.
According to Castro, most of the sodium in the Filipino diet comes from food condiments such as dipping sauces and gravy, as well as seasonings and processed foods, which prompted the importance of checking sodium content on food items.
To illustrate how quickly sodium intake can accumulate, Castro cited a seasoning mix whose nutrition label showed that a single teaspoon serving contains 260 milligrams of sodium, accounting for 11 percent of the recommended daily value.
“In one teaspoon, one serving [of the seasoning mix], 260 milligrams [of sodium content would be consumed from the food item],” the nutrition expert pointed out.
Meanwhile, Castro noted that a teaspoon of fish sauce, locally known as “patis,” contains 530 milligrams of sodium, while soy sauce contains 900 milligrams.
The nutrition expert also pointed out that ingredients listed on food labels are arranged according to quantity, with those present in the largest amounts appearing first and those in the smallest amounts listed last.
“So in the top five ingredients, the first content in the seasoning mix is iodized salt,” Castro said.
Other food items discussed during the forum also contained significant amounts of sodium, like oyster sauce, containing 290 milligrams of sodium per serving, with water, sugar, and salt listed among its ingredients, while tomato sauce contains 180 milligrams of sodium.
Dr. Castro, meanwhile, cautioned consumers about kare-kare mix, which contains 325 milligrams of sodium in a single serving.
She noted that salt is listed among the product’s top five ingredients, indicating that it is one of its major components.
“Then these [corn] soups are also high in sodium, with 411 milligrams of sodium in one serving of corn soup,” the expert added.
Castro, however, noted that sodium is not limited to soups and condiments, as it can also be found in everyday meals such as sandwiches.
Various ingredients commonly used in sandwiches, including vegetables, processed meats, cheese, sauces and bread, contribute to their overall sodium content.
“The bread has some [sodium], the mustard also has, even the lettuce has a little bit, and the cheese also contains sodium,” Castro explained.
“That is why one sandwich already accounts for three-fourths of the quota, so it is necessary to look for low-sodium alternatives,” the expert added.
Stages of change
Shifting the discussion from food labels to behavior, Castro asked forum attendees whether changing long-standing dietary practices was easy.
“[It is] difficult,” the NCP executive immediately responded to her question.
The doctor explained that changing dietary habits is a gradual process, emphasizing that simply knowing which foods should be avoided is often not enough to alter long-established practices.
She further noted that during the precontemplation stage, individuals are often unaware that a problem exists or that changes in their behavior may be necessary.
Castro believed several factors triggered people to reflect on their habits and consider possible lifestyle changes, particularly after being diagnosed with certain diseases or health conditions.
“That is when we begin to think, what could have been the cause of the illness? What am I doing wrong? What can I do to become healthier?” the nutrition expert stated, noting that this is when the preparation stage begins.
During the preparation stage, Castro argued people become more interested in learning about their condition and begin seeking information on possible lifestyle changes.
As people continue researching and educating themselves, they eventually move into the action stage, where they start putting those changes into practice.
“Usually, what helps us is having a support group, having someone to accompany us, and having someone to talk to who is in the same situation and also wants to make a change or improvement.”
“Then, for the continuous maintenance, support is still needed,” the speaker added.
She advised attendees not to view setbacks or failure to consistently follow healthy practices as a sign of failure. Instead, she encouraged them to examine the reasons behind the relapse and use the experience as a learning opportunity and a stepping stone toward a new stage of preparation and renewed commitment to change.