BRITONS are still eating far too much salt – almost 50 per cent more than recommended levels, research revealed yesterday.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said that average salt consumption in the UK now stood at 8.6g – well above the 6g target for both men and women set by food and health experts. The 6g level is the equivalent to a heaped teaspoonful.
Men were eat
ing an average of 9.7g a day, while women were nearer the target on 7.7g.
The FSA said that while salt consumption was down compared to previous studies, there was still a long way to go to reach recommended levels.
The agency yesterday also launched a consultation on proposals to introduce stricter voluntary salt reduction targets for the food industry on products such as bacon, ham, cakes and snacks.
It is thought that reducing the daily salt intake in the UK to 6g could prevent an average of 20,200 premature deaths a year from heart attack and stroke caused by high blood pressure.
Daily salt intake has fallen steadily from 9.5g in 2000-1, to 9g in 2005-6 and now to 8.6g.
The reduction in salt now seen in the latest study – based on almost 700 adults – is the equivalent of 6,000 premature deaths prevented, the FSA said.
But salt intake in women actually increased slightly between the last two surveys – from 7.6g in 2005-6 to 7.7g this year.
With estimates that 75 per cent of salt eaten is already in foods, the FSA is now planning tougher targets for the industry to reduce salt content further. For example, manufacturers will now be encouraged to reduce salt in bacon to 3.25g per 100g by 2010, compared with a previous target of 3.5g. By 2012, it should be cut to 2.88g.
Food manufacturers have already made progress in reducing salt content, including a 43 per cent reduction in breakfast cereals and 30 per cent in sliced bread.
The FSA's chief executive, Tim Smith, said it was encouraged by the reduction in salt intake among adults and the steps taken by manufacturers so far.
"But while the results of the tests are positive, we are aware there is still plenty to do," he said. "We have set targets which are challenging, long-term and have been set to drive continued progress."
The agency has also begun work with the catering sector to improve the nutritional content of food eaten out of the home.
With the average person eating one in every six meals away from home each week, it was likely that the catering sector would have an impact on salt intake by reducing its salt levels, the agency said.
Salt campaign group Cash (Consensus Action on Salt and Health) welcomed the FSA's figures but said there were still many companies that had made little effort to reduce the salt in their food.
Cash chairman Professor Graham MacGregor said: "This is the most important news that we have heard about health and eating for a long time.
"As salt intakes will continue to fall over the next few years, the effect of this salt reduction policy on strokes and heart attacks, the commonest cause of death in the UK, will become even larger. The reason that the average salt intake has fallen is because many, but not all, food manufacturers and retailers, on an entirely voluntary basis, have reduced the amount of salt that they add to their foods.
"The UK is leading the world in the drive to save lives by cutting salt and many other countries are starting to follow the UK lead."
Julian Hunt, from the Food and Drink Federation, said the food industry had taken a lead in cutting salt in its products in recent years. "We look forward to continuing to work with the FSA on further salt reductions in packaged foods, and will consult our members to see if the new targets are achievable," he said.
IN NUMBERSThe salt content of various foods:
0.5g approx1 slice of chocolate sponge cake
0.5g approx1 bowl of cornflakes
0.5g approx2 digestive biscuits
0.5g approx1 American muffin
1g approx1 slice of buttered toast with Marmite
1.5g approx2 sausages
2g1 bowl of soup and one slice of bread
2.5gHalf a tin of baked beans and two slices of buttered toast
2.5gHalf a deep-pan cheese supermarket pizza
3g1 All-day breakfast sandwich
Figures based on estimates by Consensus Action on Salt and Health (Cash) collected in July 2007.The full article contains 781 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
