Countries will not meet salt reduction targets to protect health, says WHO

Too much salt is known to increase the risk of high blood pressure, which is linked to heart disease and stroke.

A new report from the World Health Organisation says salt kills and more should be done to cut consumption (Anthony Devlin/PA) (PA Archive)

The world is off track to meet its target of reducing salt intake by almost a third by 2025, costing thousands of lives, according to a new World Health Organisation (WHO) report.

In a critical study, WHO said more needs to be done to cut how much people consume, including when salt is added at the table and sold in ready meals, takeaways and everyday items such as biscuits and crackers.

It warned that in high-income countries, such as the UK, “a significant proportion of sodium intake can be attributed to processed food”.