The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is launching a major health campaign to reduce high salt consumption in the UK following rising concerns regarding its links to high blood pressure, heart disease and strokes.

The FSA is launching a £4m TV and poster advertising campaign to alert the UK public to the excessive salt content in our diets and to suggest methods of reducing this level.

In addition, the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is also launching a guide to help consumers learn more about salt, entitled ‘Salt and Your Health’. The guide explains why the government has set targets to reduce consumers’ sodium intake and what the food industry is doing to help.

Martin Paterson, FDF deputy director general said: “We know that there is confusion amongst consumers about the difference between salt and sodium and their link with health. This new guide to salt and health demonstrates the industry’s continued commitment to helping consumers make informed dietary choices.”

Every day at least 26m people eat more than the recommended daily limit of 6g salt, with men eating the most with a daily average of 11g of salt compared to a daily average of 8.1g for women, according to the FSA.

The cost to the NHS for prescriptions for reducing high blood pressure is around £840m, nearly 15% of the total annual cost of primary care drugs.

Sir John Krebs, FSA chairman said: “High blood pressure really is the ‘silent killer’ as those living with it are three times more likely to develop heart disease and stroke, and twice as likely to die from these diseases as those with normal levels.”

“Everybody has got used to eating too much salt. We want to encourage everyone to see how they can reduce the salt they eat. By cutting back on adding salt to food at home and when eating out, as well as looking at what’s on the labels of processed foods, it’s possible for people to make positive health choices.”