Call for Government action over high salt consumption

Chilled distributor giant Brakes has applauded the work of pressure group Consensus of Action on Salt and Health (CASH) in highlighting the dangers of too much salt in the diet.

Food manufacturers have shouldered much of the blame for over-salting convenience foods, but Brakes argued it was the first food services company to employ a dietitian and nutritionist.

At its fourth annual Salt Awareness Day, hosted at the beginning of the month at the House of Commons, CASH's chairman Professor Graham MacGregor said that up to 50,000 heart attacks and strokes could be avoided in the UK every year if daily salt intake were halved. The group claims that in the last 20 years, a four-year old child's daily salt intake has more than doubled from around 4-5g to about 10-12g, the recommended daily intake for adults - mainly through the consumption of processed foods. MacGregor called for more Government action on the issue.