The daily intake of salt for adults should be less than five grams, speakers said at a seminar yesterday, citing the advice of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
For children, it should be even smaller, they told "Scientific and Dissemination Seminar on Salt Intake in Bangladesh".
It was organised by National Heart Foundation Hospital and Research Institute (NHFHRI) at the institute in the capital's Mirpur to mark World Salt Awareness Week.
According to an NHFHRI research, the average amount of salt consumed by adults in urban Bangladesh per day is 10.3 grams, which is double the prescribed amount.
The research also shows that the intake of salt among women and men is 9.3 grams and 11 grams respectively.
The seminar highlighted that an excessive intake of salt has hazardous effects on heart and kidney and could cause high risk of kidney diseases, heart failure, stroke, blindness, high blood pressure and many other deadly diseases.