It doesn't hurt, doesn't show, and doesn't stop you working — until the day it does. And that is exactly what makes it the most dangerous.
The Saudi numbers
Prevalence estimates vary by age group and criteria: 12.69% among adults (18+) per the 2019 Saudi World Health Survey, 19.41% among those aged 30–79, while a meta-analysis estimated pooled prevalence at 22.66%[1],[2]. Prevalence rises sharply with age, exceeding 50% after eighty[1].
But the most alarming figure isn't prevalence
A national survey found that only 44.7% of people with hypertension were aware of their condition, and only 37% had it controlled[3]. More than half live with raised blood pressure without knowing.
have it
control
4.4g of salt daily
The strongest dietary intervention: salt
A Cochrane review (34 trials, 3,230 participants) found that reducing salt by 4.4 grams a day lowers systolic pressure by 4.18 mmHg and diastolic by 2.06 mmHg, in both hypertensive and normotensive people and across ethnicities[4]. The WHO recommends under 5 grams of salt a day, while the global average is around 10.78 grams — double the limit[5].
Where does salt hide in our kitchen?
- Bread and baked goods — a silent but daily source.
- Pickles, olives and salty cheeses.
- Stock cubes and ready spice mixes — higher than you imagine.
- Fast food and canned goods (see the ultra-processed article).