The George Institute for Global Health 2026-27 Pre-Budget Federal Submission
Policy & Practice Report
carDIovaScular and renal outCOmes in patients recoVERed from AKI (DISCOVER)
BackgroundAcute kidney injury (AKI) is caused by a loss of kidney function. This leaves the body unable to remove waste products, and balance water and electrolyte levels effectively. Some people with AKI may experience it short-term and recover their kidney function. For others, AKI may progress further and develop into chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially for those who have other co-existing conditions that require treatment. People who have recovered from AKI, however, have an increased risk of other health problems or even having AKI again in the future.A new class of oral anti-hyperglycaemic drugs, called sodium glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors, were initially used in the treatment of T2DM. They work by increasing the removal of glucose, and in turn lowering blood glucose levels. There is now a growing amount of research evidence to show SGLT2 inhibitors have additional benefits in people who are at risk of cardiovascular and kidney disease. SGLT2 inhibitors have been shown to reduce the p
EPidEmiology, Risk FactORs and outcoMes of Acute Kidney Injury (PERFORM-AKI)
Background
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a condition where the kidneys are damaged, and their function reduced. This can lead to a build-up of fluid in the body, decreased urine output and an increase in toxins in the blood. AKI may be short-term, with people recovering the function of their kidneys. In other people, the disease progresses, and mortality rates can be as high as 45%.
In adults who are admitted to hospital, up to 20% will be diagnosed with AKI as the primary reason for being admitted. Research from both Australia and the US have shown the rate of AKI to have increased greatly over the past 10 years, and that this trend will continue to rise. With significant impacts on people’s quality of life, AKI is an increasing global healthcare issue.
Most research into the incidence of AKI is from within the intensive care unit (ICU). However, the rate of AKI diagnosed outside the ICU is much larger. This can be due to physical injury to the kidneys, kidney stones, infection of the kidneys, damage c
Pregnancy warnings on alcohol products
Policy & Practice Report
Promoting mental health and wellbeing among transgender persons in Delhi NCR using a peer support approach: A mixed method study
BackgroundIn India, transgender individuals face a disproportionate burden of mental illness, yet their mental health remains largely under-researched. Studies have revealed alarming statistics, such as 42.7% of transwomen experiencing moderate to severe depression and 48% suffering from psychiatric disorders. This is in stark contrast to the approximate 14% prevalence among gender conforming individuals. Recognizing mental health as a global priority, the United Nations has emphasized addressing mental illness as crucial for sustainable development.AimsOur project aims to address this pressing issue by conducting a preliminary evaluation of a peer support model tailored to the needs of transgender individuals in the National Capital Region (NCR) of Delhi. We seek to explore the effects of this model on anxiety, depression, suicide/self-harm rates, and overall psychological wellbeing. Additionally, we aim to assess the acceptability of the peer support approach and identify factors that facilitate or impede i
The FoodSwitch App
FoodSwitch packaged food database empowers you with access to information to help you make informed decisions about what you eat.
Why do we need to #SwitchTheSalt?
Why do we need to #SwitchTheSalt?
Almost everyone eats salt and almost everyone eats too much of it. Eating too much salt increases blood pressure, leading to heart attacks, strokes and deaths. Despite the efforts by governments and medical organisations over the last decade to reduce population salt intakes, little progress has been made. This is because people have become accustomed to the taste and dietary habits are hard to change. Salt is also a widely used ingredient in food manufacturing, and progress towards lowering levels in packaged foods has been slow.
Find out more about our work to scale up the use of potassium-enriched salt across the global food supply.
What is potassium-enriched salt?
Potassium-enriched salt is a practical and scalable approach to lowering blood pressure and with it, the risk of strokes, heart attacks and death. Salt is made up of 100% sodium and chloride. A potassium-enriched salt, however, has some of the harmful sodium chloride replaced wi
School-based salt education programme in China lowers blood pressure and offers huge potential for scale-up
A school-based salt education programme in China has worked with families, teachers and health educators to raise awareness about the risks of excess salt consumption and encourage people to reduce salt use in cooking.
‘EduSaltS’ reduced salt consumption and blood pressure in family members of the primary school children involved and is the first large-scale salt education programme to show such significant results. The approach is now being piloted in districts in Beijing and serves as a model which could be scaled up in China and other countries to help tackle cardiovascular disease – the biggest global killer.
Excessive salt intake is the leading dietary risk factor for premature death and disability in China, with 80% of dietary salt added during cooking. A high-salt diet is associated with raised blood pressure, which increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases (such as heart attacks and stroke), the leading cause of death in low- and middle-income countries.
The EduS
Evidence library
Please find below a list of the key publications supporting the case for potassium-enriched salt. For a more comprehensive list, click here or to return to the main page click here.
Trials
Effect of Salt Substitution on Cardiovascular Events and Death.New England Journal of Medicine, 2021https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmoa2105675
Salt substitution and salt-supply restriction for lowering blood pressure in elderly care facilities: a cluster-randomized trial.Nature Medicine, 2023https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02286-8
Effects of salt substitutes on clinical outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Heart 2022https://heart.bmj.com/content/108/20/1608.long
Effects of a reduced-sodium added-potassium salt substitute on blood pressure in rural Indian hypertensive patients: a randomized, double-blind, controlled trialThe American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2021https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0002916522003185
A guide to potassium-enriched salt
Please find below downloadable one-page guides for consumers and health professionals with key information on potassium-enriched salt.
For health professionalsA guide to potassium-enriched salt.Learn more
For consumersA guide to potassium-enriched salt.Learn more
WHO guidelineA summary for policy makersLearn more
FactsheetSwitching the world’s salt supply: Scaling up the use of potassium-enriched salt.Learn more
For meal producersLearn more
EvidenceUK evidence on using low-sodium salt substitutes.Learn more
How can we use the Global Burden of Disease study to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3.2?
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