Shoppers still unaware where salt is hidden

About 75% of the salt we eat comes from everyday foods. Foods that contribute the most salt to our diets are not necessarily the saltiest, but the ones we eat most often. The top three salt-contributing foods are bread, followed by meat products, then breakfast cereals.

When asked to pick the top three from a list of the 10 foods that contribute the most salt to our diets, only 13% of people mentioned bread, and 12% said breakfast cereals.

The Food Standards Agency's new advertising campaign on TV, radio and in print, is urging people to pay closer attention to the salt levels in the foods they are buying. The campaign features foods that make significant contributions to the salt intakes of UK adults and children. The salt levels of these foods vary across brands, so a simple way to reduce the amount of salt we eat is to choose the ones that are lower in salt.

The survey also found that many people (40%) believe that supermarket value ranges are higher in salt than other ranges. However, this isn't necessarily the case and sometimes the cheapest are among the lowest in salt. In addition, supermarket own-label versions of some foods, including bread, are often lower in salt than the branded versions. The only way of knowing for sure is by checking the labels.

Other highlights from the survey include:

When asked to pick the top three contributors, from a list of the 10 foods that contribute the most salt to our diets, the foods most commonly mentioned were crisps and snacks (73%), ready meals (65%) and meat products (36%).
About 85% of people tend to stick to the same brands of foods they buy regularly, such as bread, ketchup and breakfast cereals.

However, a quarter of these people (26%) said they would change from their usual brand if they knew that a lower salt option was available.
37% of respondents were either 'very concerned' or 'quite concerned' about the amount of salt they eat.

In the UK, we are eating 8.6g salt a day on average, which, although much higher than the recommended 6g, is almost a gram less than we were eating before the Agency launched its salt reduction programme in 2004. With the majority of the salt we eat coming from everyday foods, people need to be more aware of where the salt in their diet comes from, and that it's possible to reduce this amount simply by checking labels for salt, comparing products and choosing the ones with less salt.

Rosemary Hignett, Head of Nutrition at the Food Standards Agency, said: 'Salt intakes are coming down, but if we are to get closer to meeting our target of reducing intakes to 6g a day, people need to become more aware of the foods which contribute to intakes, as it isn't just the obvious things we need to watch out for as far as salt is concerned.

'We're not suggesting people stop eating or even cut down on bread or breakfast cereals, because they are important part of a healthy diet. But we are saying take a look at the labels to find one that is lower in salt. This could be a supermarket own-label product, and maybe one from the 'value' range. If so, any cost saving is an added bonus.

'We've been working closely with food manufacturers and retailers to encourage them to use less salt in their foods, and are pleased with the progress that is being made. But there is still a wide variation of salt levels in different brands, which is why it is so important that people check the labels.'

Notes to editors1.
1. The advertising campaign will go live on 5 October with the first TV advert aired on ITV1 at 7.15pm during the advert break in Emmerdale.
2. Print and radio advertising will focus on bread, ketchup, cereal and pasta sauce. TV adverts will focus on pizza, pasta sauce, sandwiches and ready meals. Please call if you would like copies of the adverts.
3. The survey was conducted as part of the UK wide TNS face-to-face omnibus. In total, 2,267 adults aged 16 and over were interviewed between 21-30 August 2009.
4. Across the UK, salt levels in bread range from 0.7g/100g to 1.5g/100g. This means that somebody who eats four slices of bread during a day could reduce their daily salt intake by 1g, by switching from the highest to the lowest salt bread.
5. Owners of smart, or web-enabled phones who want to check their shopping's salt content can access a handy application that has been created for the campaign. iPhone users can download a free app from the Apple store that will enable them to calculate whether a food is high, medium or low in salt or sodium content. The application allows users to check the Agency's recommended daily limit for salt and get tips to reduce it. With a shake of the phone the tip changes. Go to the Apple store and search for 'salt' or visit http://www.food.gov.uk/saltapp
6.Too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, which triples the risk of heart disease and stroke and doubles the chance of dying from these diseases.
7.The 0.9g reduction we have achieved so far means we have prevented more than 6,000 premature deaths and are saving the economy £1.5bn every year.
8.The FSA salt campaign
The salt campaign launched in September 2004 as part of the Agency's strategy to reduce population average salt intakes to 6g.
The first phase of the salt campaign featured Sid the Slug and focused on raising awareness of too much salt as a health issue. Phase 2, launched in October 2005, featured talking food packets and raised awareness of the 'no more than 6g a day' message and checking labels for this information. Phase 3 in March 2007 built on this awareness, reminding consumers that 75% of the salt we eat is already in everyday foods.
9.The science behind the 6g
The Agency's advice on salt intake for adults and children is based on sound science, underpinned by the recommendations of the independent Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) which carried out a thorough and comprehensive risk assessment on salt and associated health outcomes.

The compelling evidence for an association between salt and blood pressure is described in detail in the SACN's report, Salt and Health (2003). The SACN identified and evaluated the evidence relevant to an association between salt intake and health outcomes from a wide range of published scientific evidence (approximately 200 studies) that had become available since COMA's considerations in the early 1990s, and the recommendations made at that time to reduce the salt intakes of the UK population to 6g.

The SACN concluded that the evidence for a link between salt intake and blood pressure had increased since 1994. The current high levels of salt habitually consumed by the population raise the risk of high blood pressure, which increases the risk of stroke and premature death from cardiovascular diseases. The SACN confirmed that the population as a whole would benefit from reducing their intake to 6g per day. The SACN also set lower recommended maximum levels of salt intake for babies and children. The 6g target is supported by many medical and research bodies including the BMA and the MRC.