Major grant from MRC/GACD to improve health in China

Researchers from The George Institute China have been awarded funds from Medical Research Council (MRC) and Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD) to address salt consumption in China.

2.51 million pounds has been secured for a new School-based education programme to reduce salt in China (EduSaltS). This new project will develop and implement a feasible, sustainable and adaptable scale-up package to reduce salt in Children and families, which will lead to a wide-scale implementation eventually across the whole country in China. Excessive salt intake is a major contributor to high blood pressure, which has accounted for 2.54 million deaths in 2017.

Professor Puhong Zhang, Associate Director of The George Institute, China, and responsible person in China for EduSaltS project said: “Cardiovascular diseases are huge worldwide problems. We are thrilled to work with various stakeholders to develop salt reduction strategies and lead to truly significant impact, prevent hundreds of thousands of stroke and heart disease per year in China.”

“We also hope that EduSaltS will provide other countries with an innovative model of successful salt reduction activity to refer to.” Professor Feng J He from Queen Mary University of London and principal investigator of the project said.

The EduSaltS project is a collaboration between Queen Mary University of London (QMUL) and The George Institute, China, and will expand work with China Center for Health Education, the health and education authorities of three regions of China including Beijing, Shijiazhuang and Zhenjiang, as well as Beihang University.

The funds will enable The George Institute, China, to expand its salt reduction work including Action on Salt China (ASC) project, which is developing a comprehensive national salt reduction program targeting various salt intake paths.