Brits eat the equivalent of 22 packets of crisps a day in salt

Working-age adults in England eat an average of 8.4g of salt per day - 40 per cent more than the Government’s recommended maximum of 6g. This excess is equivalent to six packets of ready-salted crisps per day.

Consuming too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, which is linked to half of all heart attacks and strokes. Research suggests that reducing the UK's average daily salt intake to within World Health Organization (WHO) recommended limits by 2030 could prevent up to 135,000 new cases of coronary heart disease over 14 years.

30 per cent of UK adults are estimated to have high blood pressure, yet as many as five million people may be unaware they have the condition. Cutting salt intake is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce this risk.

Despite this, a new poll by BHF and YouGov of over 2,000 adults revealed that 56% of people are not confident estimating their daily salt intake and awareness of the UK national maximum guideline of 6g is low.

Dell Stanford, Senior Dietitian at the BHF says:

“Most of the salt we eat is hidden in the food we buy such as bread, cereals, pre-made sauces and ready meals, so it’s often hard to know exactly how much salt we’re consuming. This is bad news for our heart health, as eating too much salt significantly increases the risk of high blood pressure, a major cause of heart attacks, strokes, and other serious diseases.

“The Government must step in to make the healthy choice much easier for families by giving manufacturers an incentive to take out excessive amounts of salt from our food.”

The BHF says that reducing salt intake across the population would deliver significant health benefits and save lives.

The charity is therefore urging the UK Government to cast a spotlight on salt and take decisive action to make everyday food healthier. They call on the Government to ensure its upcoming Healthy Food Standard – an initiative aimed at reducing obesity - includes mandatory targets that incentivise all major food companies to reduce salt levels in their products.

Kate Howard, campaign coordinator for Recipe for Change says:

"This polling highlights how hard it is to know how much salt is hidden in everyday foods. When so many adults can’t estimate their intake, how are they supposed to be able to maintain a healthy limit?

“The levels of salt added into our food by companies are shocking. At Recipe for Change, we support these calls for action and urge the Government, as it introduces a mandatory Healthy Food Standard, to explore stronger incentives for reformulation, including taxes on unhealthy products, so healthier food becomes the easy option.”

Find out more about the findings, as well as about salt and the heart on the British Heart Foundation website.