Australia lagging on salt reduction

NEW research published in the Journal of Hypertension shows 32 countries now have national programs to reduce population salt intake.  Central to the success of these programs is the establishment of targets for the maximum amount of salt in different foods. In the UK, US and Canada, governments have set targets for over 80 different food categories.  Furthermore, the UK has already been able to demonstrate a reduction in population salt intake saving thousands of lives each year.  Only nine targets have been established in Australia so far.
Jacqui Webster, lead author of the report and senior project manager at The George Institute for Global Health, said, "There is a huge body of evidence showing that salt is the main cause of high blood pressure which kills thousands of people each year – mostly through premature strokes, heart attacks and heart failure. The new research shows how countries around the world are responding to this evidence by implementing national salt reduction programmes. Australia needs to do the same."
Processed and catered foods contribute to between 75 and 80 per cent of salt in the diet in developed countries, and targets to reduce sodium levels in these foods represents a key component of any reduction strategy, the study noted.
"It is now widely accepted that reducing salt consumption will lead to lower blood pressure levels resulting in significant health benefits, and centrally implemented national salt reduction strategies are projected to be highly cost-effective in the prevention of non-communicable diseases," Webster and her colleagues commented. (Photo ? Iwka | Dreamstime.com)Air Max 95 20th Anniversary