While other nations have successfully reduced their sodium intake, Australians are still eating too much salt. And we’re paying the price with our health; a high-salt diet can lead to high blood pressure, one of the key contributors to heart disease.
Reducing Australians’ daily salt intake by 30% (from nine grams to six) could save around 7,000 lives a year, through lowered blood pressure and fewer heart attacks.
It’s time for the Commonwealth government to get tough on the food industry to reduce the salt content of processed foods.
So, what’s the best way to make this happen?
For countries where the majority of salt is already hidden in processed foods, the most effective way to achieve reductions in salt intake is for the food industry to gradually take salt out of processed foods.
But some controversy exists about whether this requires legislation (and penalties for companies that don’t comply) or whether voluntary agreements are enough to get the food industry to act.
A recent review showed that 59 countries already have food industry salt-reduction programs in place. Some of the countries reviewed are meeting with food companies and asking them to reduce salt in products where they can. But almost two-thirds (38) have established specific targets for reducing salt levels in different foods.
While the majority of these are based on voluntary agreements with the food industry, nine countries have introduced legislation on salt levels.
