At the request of the Ministry of Health, a WHO expert visited Oman from 30 September to 2 October 2014 to assist a national multisectoral team in developing a plan to reduce the intake of salt and fat in Oman. The very high prevalence of hypertension (40%) as well as high cholesteroal, obesity and type 2 diabetes, provides a strong case for adopting population measures to reduce salt and fat in the Omani diet. The national team developed a plan with the initial focus on reducing salt in commercially produced bread and identifying other salt sources for similar routine and universal salt reductions. Controlling the availability of trans fat in the marketplace and reducing the saturated fat content from two major sources (milk and milk products and cooking oils, namely replacing palm and coconut oils with more suitable vegetable oils) are also included in the place.
Reducing salt intake is one of the 9 voluntary global targets for the WHO Noncommunicable Disease Action Plan, 2015–2020 ). Reducing the intake of saturated fatty acid is one of 25 indicators for the same plan .
