Salt is back in the headlines. In March 2006 the Food Standards Agency published new (voluntary) salt reduction targets for food manufacturers and retailers to reduce salt levels by 2010. Overconsumption of salt is linked to high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.
The FSA's aim is to encourage the reduction of salt levels in 85 food categories that contribute most to the amount of salt in diets of UK consumers. These include: bread, breakfast cereals, cheese, ready-meals, cakes, biscuits , pastries, bacon and other foods. However, some campaigners argue that the voluntary targets don't go far enough, possibly endangering the lives of thousands of at-risk people. Food manufacturers, represented by the Food and Drink Federation, on the other hand, believe the new the targets present a challenge to the industry.
In 2004 the FSA highlighted the association between salt consumption and high blood pressure with its ‘Sid the Slug’ campaign. Around 18 million people in the UK have high blood pressure, or hypertension, a symptom-less yet dangerous condition. People with high blood pressure are three times more likely to develop heart disease or have a stroke than people with normal blood pressure. Around 50,000 people a year die from stroke and nearly 238,000 from heart disease in the UK, so cutting average salt consumption could save many lives.
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