The Food Standards Agency on Monday launched a major public health campaign to reduce high salt consumption in the UK.

Research suggests that eating too much salt is a significant risk factor in developing high blood pressure, a cause or contributing factor in 170,000 deaths per year in England alone.

Stakeholder Response: Food Standards Agency

Sir John Krebs, chairman pf the Food Standards Agency, 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. The human cost in terms of illness and death and the costs to the NHS are very high. Cutting down on salt can significantly reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure.

"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.

"Many in the food industry have introduced salt reduction programmes and, to their credit, many major retailers and manufacturers now label products with the salt content. These steps are welcome and represent considerable progress from some sectors of the industry since we published our advice on salt consumption in May 2003.

"The food industry is about two thirds of the way to reaching our target of a one gram reduction in processed foods by the end of 2005. However, to reach the ambitious target of six grams per day by 2010 will require further action by both consumers and industry if we are to reduce the human and health costs of eating too much salt."

Stakeholder Response: Consumers' Association

Sue Davies, principal policy advisor at the Consumers' Association, said: "This is an important and stark warning from the FSA that eating too much salt is bad for your heart. 

"Compulsory labelling of salt on all pre-packed foods is essential so that you can easily identify the levels in foods. We also want to see simple indicators on labels to help consumers judge whether a product contains 'a lot' or 'a little' salt.

"We are pleased that the FSA will be checking industry's reduction plans by monitoring salt levels in foods.  If reductions aren't happening voluntarily, the government must lay down compulsory targets."

Stakeholder Response: Royal College of Physicians

Professor Carol Black, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said: "The Royal College of Physicians welcomes the Food Standards Agency's (FSA) public health campaign to raise awareness of the risks of too much salt. The experience of doctors bears out the research conducted by the FSA for this campaign: that many people do not appreciate the link between excessive salt in diet and high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. People need to receive clear advice about salt and associated health risks to enable them to make appropriate changes to their own salt intake for their future health. The RCP wholeheartedly supports this initiative."

Stakeholder Response: Stroke Association

Jon Barrick, chief executive of the Stroke Association, said: "The more salt we eat, the more our blood pressure rises. More than 50,000 deaths from stroke in the