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Barb Ryan - Horsham Regional Coordinator

AWASH puts Salt on the Agenda not on the Table

www.awash.org.au

Over 100 people attended the debate on salt and children hosted by the George Institute for International Health on 31 January 2008 as part of International Salt Awareness Week. Dr Norman Swan, producer and presenter of ABC Radio National’s Health Report, chaired the debate, professing himself a convert to the salt cause and highlighting the link between obesity and excess salt consumption as a key reason for addressing the issue.

The main issues arising from the day were:

A unanimous call for a consumer dedication campaign
The need for clearer labeling
The food industries continued commitment to reducing salt in foods
The need for the catering and fast food sectors to take further action
The importance of establishing a baseline for dietary intakes.

The recently appointed Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing, Senator Jan McLucas, praised the Australian Division of World Action on Salt and Health (AWASH) initiative to reduce salt. She said obesity was estimated to be costing the Australian economy 3.8 billion dollars and was likely to be elevated to a National Health Priority Area. Senator McLucas outlined proposed spending on relevant initiatives including $10.6 million for the National Diet and Physical Activity Survey which would enable an assessment of salt intakes and $35 million over five years for a Health Kids Check, which could provide a vehicle for talking to parents about salt.

The Senator welcomed food industry action to reduce salt in foods. She said the big question was how to provide information to consumers in a meaningful way through labeling, acknowledging both the Australian Food and Grocery Council’s voluntary Daily Intake Scheme and the UK food Standards Agency’s research into the effectiveness of the traffic light and alternative schemes in the UK.

Dame Deirdre Hutton, Chair of the UK Food Standards Agency, outlined what had happened in the UK in relation to salt. A half gram decrease in population salt intakes had been achieved since the campaign started, resulting in 3500 less deaths a year. She highlighted the importance of including 24 hour urinary analysis in dietary surveys to monitor sodium intakes reliably. She said the success of the campaign was due to the three pronged strategy: working closely with the food industry to reduce salt in processed foods and menus: launching a mass social marketing consumer education campaign; and introducing a front of pack traffic light labeling scheme.

Dr Bruce Neal, Chairman (AWASH) said that the over-arching aim was to reduce the average amount of salt consumed by Australians to 6g per day, over five years. He said blood pressure is the single largest cause of death in the world, increasing the risk of death or illness in almost everyone (not just people with hypertension).

The adverse effects of high blood pressure begin from childhood which is why AWASH is highlighting the fact that children need to eat even less salt than adults. A recent consumer survey of parents revealed that:

Most believe salt has harmful effects on children’s health
Half are substantially concerned about the salt in their children’s diet
Many are making an effort to control their children’s salt consumption.
More than half reported children eating salty snacks several times a week
The great majority believe more action is required to reduce the salt in children’s food.

Dr. Neal said AWASH was making good progress working with the food industry, but now wanted to engage the government more fully, particularly in helping to increase understanding.

WORLD ACTION ON SALT AND HEALTH.

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There's a very interesting four page article on 'Finding Low-Salt Foods' included in this web site. Click below to go to each of the web pages:

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