Agency research reveals a drop in British salt consumption

Monday 19 March 2007

Research published today by the FSA reveals that people in Great Britain are consuming less salt than they were five years ago. Urinary sodium tests show a small but significant decrease in the average salt intake of the population since last measured in 2001.

The publication of this urinary data coincides with the launch of the latest stage of the Agency's salt campaign, 'Full of it'. The new data shows that average daily salt consumption has fallen from 9.5g to 9g – with male intake reducing from 11g a day to 10.2g a day and female intake falling from 8.1g day to 7.6g day.

Although the decrease is small, it indicates that things are moving in the right direction and that good progress is being made by both the food industry and consumers. It highlights that there is still work to be done to meet the Government's national target of no more than 6g a day by 2010.

FSA Chair, Deirdre Hutton, said: 'Since 2004 the FSA has been working in partnership with the UK food industry and health organisations to encourage product reformulation and to raise consumer awareness of the health risks associated with eating too much salt.

'Today's urinary sodium results illustrate the progress that is being made in reducing the nation's daily salt intake. However there is still some way to go before we reach the 6g target and we all now need to build on this to ensure that the downward trend continues.

'To help achieve this, the FSA will continue its work in encouraging industry to offer consumers healthier choices and to encourage consumers to drive demand for those healthier choices. And this is exactly what the 'Full of it' campaign is all about.'

See the salt campaign TV ads