MEDIA RELEASE	Media embargo – 4 August 2010

Don’t take it with a grain of salt 

Awareness of salt-related health issues is not translating into lower salt intake.
This was the finding of a study published in the August issue of the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health.
Karen Charlton and her colleagues at the University of Wollongong looked at salt test results from a group of women in NSW.
They found that although most women were able to identify processed foods and took note of salt levels on labelling, few could identify the daily recommended salt intake of 4 g.
“Despite high recognition of things like the Heart Foundation’s ‘tick’ of approval, people are still finding salt moderation difficult,” Assoc. Prof. Charlton said.
“An important way to tackle high salt intake on a population level should be by reducing salt content in processed foods.”
“There are already some encouraging commitments by the Australian Food and Grocery Council. Bread and cereals are known to be high contributors to salt intake and focusing reduction strategies towards the processed food industry may be a way to get levels down.”
ENDS

For more information about this research, contact the research author: 
Associate Professor Karen Charlton, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health & Behavioural Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522. 
Phone: 0411 400 674; e-mail: karenc@uow.edu.au

MEDIA ONLY: To receive a PDF of the paper or for more information about ANZJPH, contact:
Bridget Hooper
ANZJPH Administration
Ph: (03) 9329 3535
E-mail: bridget.hooper@substitution.com.au

The Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health is published by the Public Health Association of Australia. Information on the Association and the Journal can be found at http://www.phaa.net.au