It is commendable for the Health Promotion Board to want to prevent more people from developing high blood pressure and to try to save the lives of people with high blood pressure (Drive to cut Singaporeans' sodium intake by 15%, Sept 29).

However, this must not be done at the expense of those with high blood potassium caused by, for example, poor kidney function.

In low-sodium salt, about 30 per cent of sodium chloride is replaced by potassium chloride. This amount can cause cardiac arrest and death in those whose blood potassium is already too high.

Those with high blood potassium are probably in the minority but their needs should be looked at too.

It is good to get retailers to sell low-sodium salt at lower prices so that more families, who have no problem of high blood potassium, will buy low-sodium salt.

However, it is wrong to just encourage caterers, eateries and restaurants to use low-sodium salt.

There is a better alternative. We could tell caterers, hawkers and restaurants that it is dangerous for some people to eat food with low-sodium salt, have them provide low-salt food instead, and provide bottled salt or spices for those who want to add flavour to their food.

My suggestions may be more effective to help wean our population off salty food.

Tan Peng Boon