Eating too much salt is responsible for 10,000 deaths EVERY day across Europe – and processed food is to blame, health officials say

Excessive salt intake contributes to 10,000 deaths from cardiovascular disease across Europe every day – with Britons eating almost double the safe level, a report warns.

The World Health Organization has found that 52 out of 53 countries in the European region consume too much salt, including the United Kingdom.

It advises adults to eat no more than 5 grams of salt per day, which is equivalent to about one teaspoon.

But figures show Brits typically consume 8.4 grams a day, which is the 39th highest of the countries studied and more than food-loving France.

Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan consume the most with 17.2 grams per day and Malta the least with 4.92 grams.

Eating too much salt is the leading cause of elevated blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Health officials say processed foods and street foods, such as those bought from supermarkets, takeaways and trendy market vendors, are often the main ‘culprits’.

High blood pressure is the leading risk factor for death and disability in Europe, causing almost a quarter of deaths and 13 percent of disability.

It usually has no symptoms, which means it’s crucial to get checked regularly.

People with high blood pressure, also called hypertension, may receive medications and lifestyle advice to control blood pressure.

More than one in three (36.9 percent) adults aged 30 to 79 in Europe have the condition, which is higher than in any other region in the world.

However, Britain has the second lowest rate on the continent at 26.4 percent. Switzerland is the lowest at 21.9 percent and Belarus and Poland the highest at 49.2 percent.

Just over one in three people (34 percent) with hypertension are not aware they have it.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of disability and premature death in the European region, accounting for more than 42.5 percent of all deaths annually.

This amounts to almost 4 million per year, or 10,000 per day.

According to the WHO report ‘Action against salt and hypertension’, men in the region are almost 2.5 times more likely to die from cardiovascular disease than women.

Salt intake is higher among men than among women in 47 countries.

The report calls for more action to reduce salt intake and improve the detection and control of hypertension to protect people’s health.

Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said: ‘CVD and hypertension are largely preventable – and manageable.

‘Four million, a staggering figure, is the number of deaths from cardiovascular disease every year – mainly among men, especially in the eastern part of our WHO region.

‘These are the facts, but we can change this.

‘We know what works, but time and time again we fail to implement evidence-based approaches, resulting in unacceptably high levels of preventable deaths.

‘Implementing targeted policies to reduce salt intake by 25 percent could save an estimated 900,000 lives from cardiovascular disease by 2030.’

The WHO wanted countries to introduce mandatory policies to reduce salt intake, such as restrictions on the amount of salt products can legally contain.

It wants public awareness campaigns to highlight the dangers and encourage people to cut back on the amount they consume and improve access to blood pressure checks and medicines.

The NHS website says people can have their blood pressure checked at their local GP surgery, as well as at some pharmacies and workplaces.

It is also possible to check your own blood pressure at home using a monitor, it adds.

Graham MacGregor, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary University of London and chairman of campaign group Action on Salt, said: ‘Elevated blood pressure is the world’s biggest killer and is responsible for more than 50 percent of strokes and heart disease. .

‘It’s the silent killer that has no symptoms. The only way to know your blood pressure is to measure it.

‘The most important factor as we age is our high salt intake, especially since more than 80 percent of salt is already in the food added by the food industry.

‘The only way to reduce this is to encourage the food industry to slowly reduce the salt they add.

‘The UK was the first country to push the food industry to reduce the huge amounts of salt added to food in the early 2000s.

‘However, the Conservative government has abandoned this very successful policy.

‘Every gram/day reduction in salt intake of the population saves more than 4,000 premature deaths per year.

“Now is the time for this government to revive this policy and maintain salt reduction targets.”

Meanwhile, John Maingay, director of policy and advocacy at the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘At least 10.6 million people in Britain have been diagnosed with high blood pressure by their GP, and up to 5.4 million adults could be undiagnosed .

‘High blood pressure is linked to around 50 per cent of heart attacks and strokes in Britain.

‘Because as much as 85 percent of the salt we eat is already in the food we buy, it is difficult for an individual to reduce their salt intake.

‘There are clear arguments for helping people eat healthier by removing salt from food before it reaches our plates.

‘If the food industry does not reduce the salt content of their products, the government will have to intervene to protect the health of future generations.’

A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care also said: ‘This Government has already taken significant action to reduce cardiovascular disease and its causes, but we know there is still more to do.

‘We want to ensure that people in Britain can eat healthier. That’s why we’ve set firm and clear targets for all sectors of the food industry to reduce salt in a wide range of products we eat every day.

‘Thanks to the program, the amount of salt in some foods has fallen by about 20 percent since 2006.’