Failure to address salt intake has bitter consequences for the public

There is robust evidence to show that mandatory limits on the salt content of bread and other processed foods is one of the most effective approaches to management of cerebrovascular disease

Mounting evidence over several decades shows clearly that high levels of salt in the diet is the major cause of cardiovascular risk.

The rate at which people are dying from chronic diseases like heart disease, respiratory disease, and stroke has fallen significantly in the last decade according to the latest trends published by the Department of Health.

The report, Health in Ireland: Key Trends 2023, says that over the period 2013-2022, the death rate from heart disease fell by a third (33.4%), the death rate from circulatory system diseases like heart disease and stroke fell by a quarter (25.1%), the death rate from respiratory illness also fell by a quarter (24.5%), while the death rate from cancer mortality fell by 11.4%.