Study Spotlights Five Processed Food Categories In U.K. That Account For Most Salt Intake

High levels of dietary sodium are associated with hypertension, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. In 2008, Britons consumed an average of about 8.6 g of sodium a day, much more than the 1–2 g a day required for good health. Now a British study that analyzed food-purchasing data for more than 21,000 British households and more than 44,000 food products has found that much of the sodium consumed in the U.K. – apart from table salt, which accounts for 23 percent – comes from five processed-food categories: bacon, bread, milk, cheese, and savory sauces (totaling 37 percent). “Accordingly,” the researchers concluded, “the targeting of sodium content reductions in these categories … could lead to large potential gains in public health.”