Health initiative worth its salt, says Agency

Tuesday 29 January 2002

A nationwide initiative urging people to reduce their salt intake is being backed by the FSA.

A host of events are being held by health professionals around the country to encourage people to become more salt aware as part of National Salt Awareness Day (29 January).

In the House of Commons, the restaurateur Raymond Blanc is among the speakers highlighting how a so-called 'healthy diet' can often be high in salt.

FSA Chair, Sir John Krebs, supported the initiative, saying: 'The Food Standards Agency believes that public awareness about salt in foods is very important. Lowering the salt intake in people’s diets is a vital step towards combating coronary heart disease - one of the UK’s biggest killers.'

He added: 'The Food Standards Agency is pleased that the UK bread industry has achieved significant reductions in the levels of salt in bread.

'We now want to see this example followed by others in the food industry. The Agency has already looked at various food surveys, identified key sources of dietary salt and is discussing with the food industry ways of reducing salt in other processed food.'

Run by the salt action group, Consensus Action on Salt and Health (CASH), this is the third year National Salt Awareness Day has taken place.

In 2001, the Agency praised the food industry after a recent FSA survey showed that there is up to 21% less sodium in bread than there was in 1998.

The Agency advises us to eat less than 6 grams of salt a day, but the current average is about 9 grams. Processed foods are a big culprit, providing, on average, three-quarters of the salt we eat.

For some people, eating a lot of salt can lead to high blood pressure, which can lead to a higher risk of strokes, heart disease and kidney disease.