Adults in England eating as much salt a day as in 22 bags of crisps, study shows

Campaigners call for action to make manufacturers reduce salt in food, which can contribute to high blood pressure and deaths

Adults in England eat the same amount of salt every week as is found in 155 bags of crisps, according to analysis by a leading health charity.

The British Heart Foundation, which carried out the study, said this also equated to 22 bags a day of ready salted, lightly salted or sea salt crisps.

“Most of the salt we eat is hidden in the food we buy, such as bread, cereals, pre-made sauces and ready meals, so it’s hard to know how much salt we’re consuming,” said Dell Stanford, a senior BHF dietitian.

“This is bad news for our heart health, as eating too much salt significantly increases the risk of high blood pressure, a major cause of heart attacks, strokes and other serious diseases.”