Experts say hundreds of people are dying from a government salt program that has allowed the industry to set reduction targets



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Hexperts have claimed that hundreds of people have died as a result of a disastrous government initiative to reduce salt in food.

A new study from Imperial College London has linked more than 10,000 cases of heart disease and stomach cancer and a system that gives the food industry control of goals. reduction of salt content.

Research shows that the annual decrease in daily salt intake in England has significantly slowed following the introduction of the Public Health Responsibility Deal in 2011.

Previously, the Government Food Standards Agency had taken measures to crack down on salt by entering into agreements with the food industry to reformulate processed foods, along with threats of legislation.

In 2000-01, the average daily intake of salt was 10.5 g for men and 8 g for women.

Between 2003 and 2010, the average intake decreased by 0.2 g each year for men and 0.12 g for women.

In contrast, after 2011, the annual decline slowed down to 0.11 for men and 0.07 for women.

Published in the BMJ, the new study says that the slowdown is linked to 1,500 cases of stomach cancer and 9,900 cases of heart disease or stroke until 2018 that do not would not have occurred otherwise.

This does not include about 13,320 deaths due to various conditions.

"Public-private partnerships such as the accountability agreement, which lacks objectives, monitoring and application of robust and independent targets, are unlikely to generate optimal gains for health," concludes the study.

Professor Simon Capewell, Population Health Specialist from the University of Liverpool who participated in the study, added: "The political messages from this badysis of the reduction of food salts could not be clearer.

"The UK government has a tough choice: continue its laissez-faire approach that will kill or mutilate thousands of additional people, or reactivate the FSA's successful approach that would prevent thousands of deaths and help powerfully the NHS and the UK economy ".

Dr Alison Tedstone, Chief Nutritionist at Public Health England (PHE), responded on behalf of the government: "Previous voluntary measures to reduce salt have reduced the country's salt intake by 11% to 8 grams per day. day.

"However, there is still a lot to do.

"The PHE review last December shows that there is a bit of industry together, with slightly more than half of all average salt reduction targets achieved, with retailers making more progress than retailers. manufacturers.

"It is clear that with the proper leadership of the industry, a further reduction of salt in foods is still possible."

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