Dangerously High Salt Levels

New Zealand’s fast foods on average contain 8 per cent more sodium than comparable foods in the UK and a massive 18 per cent more than those in France, as shown in an international study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. “This is a high risk to our population’s health and gives an urgent message about the need for change,” associate professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu from the University of Auckland’s Clinical Trials Research Unit says. New Zealanders have an average salt intake of 9g a day, compared with the recommended maximum of 5-6g a day. One third of the food we buy is from restaurants and fast food outlets.