Skip to main content
Top
Published in: BMC Medicine 1/2021

01-12-2021 | Coronary Heart Disease | Research article

Estimating the health and economic effects of the voluntary sodium reduction targets in Brazil: microsimulation analysis

Authors: Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson, Jonathan Pearson-Stuttard, Brendan Collins, Maria Guzman-Castillo, Simon Capewell, Martin O’Flaherty, Patrícia Constante Jaime, Chris Kypridemos

Published in: BMC Medicine | Issue 1/2021

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Excessive sodium consumption is one of the leading dietary risk factors for non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD), mediated by high blood pressure. Brazil has implemented voluntary sodium reduction targets with food industries since 2011. This study aimed to analyse the potential health and economic impact of these sodium reduction targets in Brazil from 2013 to 2032.

Methods

We developed a microsimulation of a close-to-reality synthetic population (IMPACTNCD-BR) to evaluate the potential health benefits of setting voluntary upper limits for sodium content as part of the Brazilian government strategy. The model estimates CVD deaths and cases prevented or postponed, and disease treatment costs. Model inputs were informed by the 2013 National Health Survey, the 2008–2009 Household Budget Survey, and high-quality meta-analyses, assuming that all individuals were exposed to the policy proportionally to their sodium intake from processed food. Costs included costs of the National Health System on CVD treatment and informal care costs. The primary outcome measures of the model are cardiovascular disease cases and deaths prevented or postponed over 20 years (2013–2032), stratified by age and sex.

Results

The study found that the application of the Brazilian voluntary sodium targets for packaged foods between 2013 and 2032 could prevent or postpone approximately 110,000 CVD cases (95% uncertainty intervals (UI): 28,000 to 260,000) among men and 70,000 cases among women (95% UI: 16,000 to 170,000), and also prevent or postpone approximately 2600 CVD deaths (95% UI: − 1000 to 11,000), 55% in men. The policy could also produce a net cost saving of approximately US$ 220 million (95% UI: US$ 54 to 520 million) in medical costs to the Brazilian National Health System for the treatment of CHD and stroke and save approximately US$ 71 million (95% UI: US$ 17 to170 million) in informal costs.

Conclusion

Brazilian voluntary sodium targets could generate substantial health and economic impacts. The reduction in sodium intake that was likely achieved from the voluntary targets indicates that sodium reduction in Brazil must go further and faster to achieve the national and World Health Organization goals for sodium intake.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
7.
go back to reference Sarno F, Claro RM, Levy RB, Bandoni DH, Monteiro CA. Estimated sodium intake for the Brazilian population, 2008-2009. Rev Saude Publica. 2013;47(3):517–78.CrossRef Sarno F, Claro RM, Levy RB, Bandoni DH, Monteiro CA. Estimated sodium intake for the Brazilian population, 2008-2009. Rev Saude Publica. 2013;47(3):517–78.CrossRef
8.
go back to reference IBGE. Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares: 2008-2009: Análise do Consumo Alimentar Pessoal no Brasil. Estatística IB de G e, editor. Rio de Janeiro; 2011. IBGE. Pesquisa de Orçamentos Familiares: 2008-2009: Análise do Consumo Alimentar Pessoal no Brasil. Estatística IB de G e, editor. Rio de Janeiro; 2011.
13.
go back to reference Kypridemos C, Guzman-Castillo M, Hyseni L, Hickey GL, Bandosz P, Buchan I, et al. Estimated reductions in cardiovascular and gastric cancer disease burden through salt policies in England: An IMPACT NCD microsimulation study. BMJ Open. 2017;7(1):e013791. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-013791 Kypridemos C, Guzman-Castillo M, Hyseni L, Hickey GL, Bandosz P, Buchan I, et al. Estimated reductions in cardiovascular and gastric cancer disease burden through salt policies in England: An IMPACT NCD microsimulation study. BMJ Open. 2017;7(1):e013791. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1136/​bmjopen-2016-013791
14.
go back to reference Laverty AA, Kypridemos C, Seferidi P, Vamos E, Pearson-Stuttard J, Collins B, et al. Quantifying the impact of the Public Health Responsibility Deal on salt intake, cardiovascular disease and gastric cancer burdens: interrupted time series and microsimulation study. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2018;73(9):881–7 https://doi.org/10.1136/jech-2018-211749.CrossRef Laverty AA, Kypridemos C, Seferidi P, Vamos E, Pearson-Stuttard J, Collins B, et al. Quantifying the impact of the Public Health Responsibility Deal on salt intake, cardiovascular disease and gastric cancer burdens: interrupted time series and microsimulation study. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2018;73(9):881–7 https://​doi.​org/​10.​1136/​jech-2018-211749.CrossRef
15.
go back to reference Pearson-Stuttard J, Kypridemos C, Collins B, Mozaffarian D, Huang Y, Bandosz P, et al. Estimating the health and economic effects of the proposed US Food and Drug Administration voluntary sodium reformulation: Microsimulation cost-effectiveness analysis. PLoS Med. 2018;15(4):e1002551. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1002551 Pearson-Stuttard J, Kypridemos C, Collins B, Mozaffarian D, Huang Y, Bandosz P, et al. Estimating the health and economic effects of the proposed US Food and Drug Administration voluntary sodium reformulation: Microsimulation cost-effectiveness analysis. PLoS Med. 2018;15(4):e1002551. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1371/​journal.​pmed.​1002551
41.
43.
go back to reference Micha R, Shulkin ML, Peñalvo JL, Khatibzadeh S, Singh GM, Rao M, et al. Etiologic effects and optimal intakes of foods and nutrients for risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses from the nutrition and chronic diseases expert group (NutriCoDE). PLoS One. 2017;12(4):e0175149. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0175149 Micha R, Shulkin ML, Peñalvo JL, Khatibzadeh S, Singh GM, Rao M, et al. Etiologic effects and optimal intakes of foods and nutrients for risk of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes: Systematic reviews and meta-analyses from the nutrition and chronic diseases expert group (NutriCoDE). PLoS One. 2017;12(4):e0175149. https://​doi.​org/​10.​1371/​journal.​pone.​0175149
46.
go back to reference Huang L, Trieu K, Yoshimura S, Neal B, Woodward M, Campbell NRC, et al. Effect of dose and duration of reduction in dietary sodium on blood pressure levels: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials. BMJ. 2020;368:m315. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.m315 Huang L, Trieu K, Yoshimura S, Neal B, Woodward M, Campbell NRC, et al. Effect of dose and duration of reduction in dietary sodium on blood pressure levels: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials. BMJ. 2020;368:m315. Available from: https://​doi.​org/​10.​1136/​bmj.​m315
47.
go back to reference Mente A, O’Donnell M, Rangarajan S, Dagenais G, Lear S, McQueen M, et al. Associations of urinary sodium excretion with cardiovascular events in individuals with and without hypertension: a pooled analysis of data from four studies. Lancet. 2016;388(10043):465–75. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30467-6 Mente A, O’Donnell M, Rangarajan S, Dagenais G, Lear S, McQueen M, et al. Associations of urinary sodium excretion with cardiovascular events in individuals with and without hypertension: a pooled analysis of data from four studies. Lancet. 2016;388(10043):465–75. Available from: https://​doi.​org/​10.​1016/​S0140-6736(16)30467-6
52.
go back to reference Campbell NRC, Lackland DT, Niebylski ML, Nilsson PM. Is reducing dietary sodium controversial? Is it the conduct of studies with flawed research methods that is controversial? A perspective from the World Hypertension League Executive Committee. J Clin Hypertens. 2015;17(2):85–6. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/jch.12437 Campbell NRC, Lackland DT, Niebylski ML, Nilsson PM. Is reducing dietary sodium controversial? Is it the conduct of studies with flawed research methods that is controversial? A perspective from the World Hypertension League Executive Committee. J Clin Hypertens. 2015;17(2):85–6. Available from: https://​doi.​org/​10.​1111/​jch.​12437
57.
go back to reference Lawes C, Vander Hoorn S, Law M, P E, MacMahon S, A. R. Chapter 6: high blood pressure. In: Ezzati M, Lopez A, Rodgers A, Murray C, editors. Comparative quantification of health risks. Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO); 2004. Available from: http://www.who.int/publications/cra/en/ Lawes C, Vander Hoorn S, Law M, P E, MacMahon S, A. R. Chapter 6: high blood pressure. In: Ezzati M, Lopez A, Rodgers A, Murray C, editors. Comparative quantification of health risks. Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO); 2004. Available from: http://​www.​who.​int/​publications/​cra/​en/​
61.
go back to reference Suen SC, Goldhaber-Fiebert JD, Basu S. Matching microsimulation risk factor correlations to cross-sectional data: the shortest distance method. Med Decis Mak. 2018;0272989X17741635. Available from: https://doi.org/10/gc5p36 Suen SC, Goldhaber-Fiebert JD, Basu S. Matching microsimulation risk factor correlations to cross-sectional data: the shortest distance method. Med Decis Mak. 2018;0272989X17741635. Available from: https://​doi.​org/​10/​gc5p36
Metadata
Title
Estimating the health and economic effects of the voluntary sodium reduction targets in Brazil: microsimulation analysis
Authors
Eduardo Augusto Fernandes Nilson
Jonathan Pearson-Stuttard
Brendan Collins
Maria Guzman-Castillo
Simon Capewell
Martin O’Flaherty
Patrícia Constante Jaime
Chris Kypridemos
Publication date
01-12-2021
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Medicine / Issue 1/2021
Electronic ISSN: 1741-7015
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12916-021-02099-x

Other articles of this Issue 1/2021

BMC Medicine 1/2021 Go to the issue