Industry-led salt reduction stalled, new Oxford-led analysis finds
New analysis1 by researchers from Oxford University adds further evidence to confirm stalled progress in industry-led salt reduction.
The study, published in PLOS Medicine, assessed whether the amount of salt present in 9 key food categories which contribute the most to adults' salt intake had changed between 2015 and 2020. Their key findings were:
- Average salt content fell by 5%, from 1.04g per 100g in 2015, to 0.99g per 100g in 2020, but this was not statistically significant.
- The biggest reductions were seen in breakfast cereals (-16%) and processed beans, potatoes and vegetables (-11%), but there was no change for bread (-2%) and ready meals (+1%). None of these changes were statistically significant.
- The categories with the highest salt content in 2020 were savoury snacks (1.6g per 100g on average) and cheese (1.6g per 100g).
- The total volume of salt sold from all food products decreased from 2.41g per person per day in 2015, to 2.25g in 2020: a reduction of 0.16g per person (6.7%). Most of the salt sold came from three categories: bread (24%), meat, seafood and alternatives (19%) and cheese (12%).
Lead author of the study, Dr Lauren Bandy (Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, Oxford University) said: "Our results demonstrate that overall progress to reduce salt intake has stalled. Voluntary targets alone may be insufficient to achieve the Government’s target of a population salt intake of less than 6g per day and additional policy measures might be needed to achieve further progress. This could include mandatory reporting of salt sales by manufacturers to improve transparency - as has been called for in the National Food Strategy."
Prof Graham MacGregor, Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine and Chairman of Action on Salt, said: “Reducing salt is the most cost-effective measure for lowering blood pressure and reducing the number of people suffering and dying from strokes, heart disease and life changing disabilities.
The UK was once considered world leading in our approach to salt reduction, but this paper and many others before it makes it clear that the voluntary approach is no longer fit for purpose. Failing to deliver on such a simple and effective public health strategy will have undoubtedly resulted in needless death and suffering, and should serve as a wakeup call to the Prime Minister that her focus should be on the people she was elected to serve.”
[1] Changes in the salt content of packaged foods sold in supermarkets between 2015-2020 in the United Kingdom: A repeated cross-sectional study.’ PLOS Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1004114
