Heart Foundation launches Halt Hidden Salt campaign

If Australians were to reduce their salt intake from processed foods by just 15% over 10 years, 5800 heart attacks and 4900 strokes per year could be prevented, the National Heart Foundation of Australia estimates.

The foundation released these figures to draw attention to World Salt Awareness Week (10 to 16 March) and the launch of its Halt Hidden Salt campaign.

“Excessive salt consumption is a major killer, and by cutting our salt intake we can prevent thousands of unnecessary deaths from heart disease and stroke,” said Heart Foundation Dietitian Barbara Eden.

“Australian adults are each eating 3.2 kg of salt every year, which is three times more than we need. Children also eat more than three times what they need - an alarming 2.2 kg each year.

“Most people are surprised to learn that about three-quarters of the salt we eat comes from everyday supermarket foods rather than salt added at the table, which is why the Heart Foundation is running a campaign - Halt Hidden Salt - to get hidden salt out of everyday foods before they hit the supermarket shelves.”

According to the Heart Foundation, the average Australian consumes around nine grams of salt each day - or 1.5 teaspoons - which is far in excess of the recommended maximum of 6 g (one teaspoon) for healthy Australians and 4 g for people with existing high blood pressure or heart disease.

“We think food should be made healthier before it hits supermarket shelves. We’re asking the government and food companies to change the way foods are manufactured and step up action to remove hidden salt,” the Heart Foundation’s Halt Hidden Salt web page says.

The Heart Foundation has called on the federal government to commit to a National Action Plan on Salt that includes:

• Increased funding and support to boost food reformulation (via the Food and Health Dialogue).
• Setting mandatory - instead of voluntary - targets for the amount of salt in processed and takeaway foods.
• Implementation of the new star rating food labelling system on all processed foods.
• Community education.

More information about the Halt Hidden Salt campaign is available from www.heartfoundation.org.au/halthiddensalt.