Salt reduction failure may have cost tens of thousands their lives

EXPERTS branded Britain's failed salt reduction programme unfit for purpose after shock research claimed tens of thousands of lives were needlessly lost.

- Hanna Geissler

A study claims the once world-leading move to slash the nation's salt intake could have stopped 38,000 fatalities in just four years - including 24,000 premature deaths.

Eating too much blood salt raises pressure, which increases the chance of heart and circulatory diseases.

Average salt consumption in England fell by a fifth from 9.38g a day when the scheme was introduced in 2003, to 7.58g in 2014.

The scheme was lauded as a huge success that saved the NHS £1.5billion a year.

Experts say had that continued, by 2018 salt intake would have fallen by a further 1.45g a day.