Report on low UK salt intake is a “wake-up call” for Australia

Of all the countries in the Western world, the UK has the lowest salt intake at 8.1 g per day. The UK Department of Health has released a report showing that dietary salt intake in the UK has reduced by 0.5 g in the last three years, and almost 1.5 g in the last decade. The report estimates the reduction could be saving around 10,000 lives every year.

In comparison, Australians are estimated to consume around 9 g of salt each day, of which at least 75% comes from processed and fast foods.

“This is a great result for the UK and a wake-up call for Australia,” said Professor Bruce Neal, chairperson of AWASH, the Australian Division of the World Action on Salt and Health. “This once again highlights what can be achieved through an effective government-led salt reduction strategy."

In 2010, the Australian Government launched the Food and Health Dialogue to address Australians’ excessive salt consumption.

“The Food and Health Dialogue is the right idea but it urgently needs to move much faster,” said Professor Neal, who is also the Senior Director of the George Institute for Global Health. “Two years on and we still only have targets for 18 food categories in Australia, compared to 85 in the UK.”

“Reducing hidden salt in processed and fast foods is the only way to reduce salt intake in Australia and would save thousands of lives each year,” said Dr Jacqui Webster, AWASH Co-ordinator at the George Institute.

“AWASH will be continuing to work with the food industry and monitor foods to ensure salt levels in Australian products are at acceptable levels,” she said.

The full UK Department of Health report can be found here.