New research shows UK salt intakes now lowest in Western world

The UK now has the lowest population dietary salt level in the Western World at 8.1 grams per day. A new report from the Department of Health in the UK shows a half gram reduction in dietary salt intake in the last three years. And almost one and a half grams in the last decade estimated to be saving around 10,000 lives a year.

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

The Australian Government launched the Food and Health Dialogue in 2010 to address the excess salt in Australian foods.  ‘’The Food and Health Dialogue is the right idea but it urgently needs to move much faster.  Two years on and we still only have targets for 18 food categories in Australia, compared to 85 in the UK” said Neal.

It is estimated that Australians currently eat 9 grams of salt a day of which at least 75% is from processed and fast foods.   “Reducing hidden salt in processed and fast foods is the only way to reduce salt intake in Australian and would save thousands of lives each year. AWASH will be continuing to work with the food industry and monitor foods to ensure salt levels in Australian products are at acceptable levels” said Dr Jacqui Webster, AWASH Co-ordinator at the George Institute.

Read the full report on sodium levels amongst adults in the UK.