Reducing salt in everyday foods could prevent tens of thousands of heart attacks and strokes
A UK modelling study published in Hypertension found that meeting the 2024 voluntary salt targets would cut average adult salt intake by 1.12 g/day and could prevent about 128,000 major cardiovascular events while saving roughly £1.0 billion in NHS healthcare costs over time.
- Meeting the 2024 UK voluntary salt targets would lower average adult salt intake from 6.1 g/day to 4.9 g/day, a 17.5% reduction or 1.12 g/day.
- Over 20 years the model estimates about 103,000 fewer ischaemic heart disease cases and 25,000 fewer strokes.
- The study projects 243,000 additional quality adjusted life years and around £1.0 billion in NHS lifetime healthcare savings.
- Average systolic blood pressure would fall by roughly one point per person, generating large population health gains despite a small individual change.
- Authors say stronger monitoring or moving from voluntary to mandatory measures could improve industry compliance and realise these benefits.