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Alongside continuing headlines on the sugar content in food and in our diets, the Government has launched a major drive to help reduce the amount of salt we eat by a quarter.

Research figures from the Department of Health (DH) show that 53% of the public rarely or never consider salt content when buying food, despite 86% of people knowing that too much salt is bad for their health, causing high blood pressure, which could lead to heart disease and stroke.

Public Health Minister Anna Soubry has launched a new 'Salt Strategy' which outlines how the DH will help people reduce their daily intake from an average of 8.1 g a day towards the 6 g a day goal. It will revise 2012 salt targets for industry; push the catering and take-away sector to do more; ask companies to help people choose lower salt options; and get more companies across the food industry to sign up to salt reduction.

Ninety companies have already signed up to make salt reduction a priority.