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World Action on Salt & Health

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Salt and health factsheets

Evidence has shown that a number of health conditions are caused by, or exacerbated by, a high salt diet. Although the strongest evidence is for the effect that a high salt diet has on blood pressure, stroke and heart disease, there is also a wide body of evidence indicating a link between salt consumption and other conditions.

Salt has been linked to:

  • High Blood Pressure
  • Cardiovascular Disease (stroke, heart disease and heart failure)
  • Kidney Disease & Kidney Stones
  • Obesity
  • Osteoporosis
  • Stomach Cancer
  • Water retention/bloating

Salt is also thought to exacerbate the symptoms of:

  • Diabetes
  • Meniere's Disease
  • Asthma
  • Alzheimer's

Click on the links on the left to view a summary of evidence for each of the health conditions. 

Current salt intake & dietary advice
The World Health Organisation recommends that we eat no more than 5g of salt per day. However many countries consume 9-12 grams a day - double the recommended maximum. People with or considered at risk of high blood pressure should take extra care to ensure that they keep their salt intake below the recommended maximum of 5g. This can be achieved by simple changes, such as consuming less processed foods and checking product labels before purchase.

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