Fast Food Franchises Lower Levels of Salt, But Not Enough

A four-year analysis of Australian fast food companies’ nutritional information has found that the franchises have lowered the levels of salt in their products by 2-3% per year, according to research published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
The study conducted by Dr Elizabeth Dunford from The George Institute collected sodium data from the websites of six Australian fast-food franchises – Domino’s, Hungry Jack’s, KFC, McDonald’s, Pizza Hut and Subway between 2009 and 2012.
The National Heart Foundation of Australia Director of Cardiovascular Health Dr Robert Grenfell said that while the results of the study were pleasing, he added caution.
“This is an analysis of nutritional information taken from the companies’ websites and we know that in some instances what is listed on the nutritional panels can vary from what’s in the actual product,” Dr Grenfell said. “Only recently a WA analysis of takeaway pizzas showed more than half of the pizzas tested had more salt, sugar or fat in their products than stated on the companies’ nutritional panels.”
Dr Grenfell said by lowering salt in foods, we can make a big difference to the country’s health, and especially for those people who need it the most.
“Most of the salt we eat is found in processed and takeaway foods, with only 15% of salt in our diet consumed by adding it at the table or in cooking,” he said. "Australian adults are each eating 3.2 kg of salt every year, which is three times more than we need. Children also eat more than three times what they need – an alarming 2.2 kg each year.
“Eating too much salt can cause high blood pressure which increases your risk of a heart attack.”
Dr Grenfell added while a 2-3% reduction is a start, if we are to make a real difference to our health we need to reduce the salt in our foods by much more.
“The World Health Organisation last year set a global target for all members to reduce salt intake by 30% by 2025,” Dr Grenfell said.

“Australia has this in our sights, but we need to ramp up our fledgling food reformulation with food manufacturers program to achieve these targets. “It needs to be a three-pronged approach, with robust food labelling, comprehensive reformulation program and solid education campaigns.”
The Heart Foundation said it was encouraged by the Federal Government’s interest in improving the Australian food supply, and urged continued commitment and expansion of the Australian Government’s Food & Health Dialogue to achieve this.
“The potential health gains from making our foods healthier are enormous. Reducing intake of sodium from processed food by 15-25% in Australia would avert 5,800-9,700 heart attacks and 4,900-8,200 strokes within ten years,” he said.
The Heart Foundation is running a Halt Hidden Salt campaign to raise awareness of the health risks associated with consuming too much salt and to get this hidden killer out of our food – you can find out more at heartfoundation.org.au/halthiddensalt