World Salt Awareness Week - February 1-7

This week is World Salt Awareness Week focussing on salt and its effect on our health. Evidence shows that too much salt causes high blood pressure, with its adverse affects on the brain, heart, and kidneys. Too much salt is also linked to osteoporosis, obesity and stomach cancer. The Australian Division of  World Action on Salt and Health (AWASH) is asking the Australian government to set salt target levels for processed and takeaway foods as 75% of the salt we consume comes from processed foods.

Most Australians consume too much salt - about 8-10g per day, much more than the recommended upper limit of 6g/day and the 4g/day recommended to prevent chronic disease. The Australian National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey found that  children 2-16 years were also consuming more than 50% of the recommended upper limit of salt. 

The Heinz Company as part of its health and wellness strategy has been gradually reducing the salt content across its range of products. Heinz baby foods do not contain added salt.   Heinz has recently developed  Nutritional Guidelines for our Little Kids range of foods. One of the guidelines is too keep these foods low in salt.

For more information on World Salt Awareness Week and the work of the  Australian Division of  World Action on Salt and Health visit:-www.worldactiononsalt.com/awareness/world_salt_awareness_week_2010 and www.awash.org.au

Read Dr Bruce Neal's article on Dropping the salt in children's diets- a priority for Australia at www.heinzsight.com.au/heinzsight/2008/12/reducing-salt-in-childrens-diets

Read about the Nutritional Guidelines for Heinz Little Kids Foods at www.heinzsight.com.au/heinzsight/files/NutritionGuidelinesForHeinzLittleKids.pdf