Food Standards Agency Salt Awareness Campaign Continues, UK

Main Category: Nutrition / Diet
Also Included In: Hypertension;  Cardiovascular / Cardiology
Article Date: 17 Jul 2006 - 0:00 PDT

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The Food Standards Agency (FSA) will run a series of 10-second television adverts throughout the summer, in order to maintain momentum and consumer awareness of its salt public health campaign's key messages.

The advert, which will be aired from 10 July through to October, is a shortened version of the television advert used during the second phase of the Agency's salt campaign in 2005. It features animated packaged foods, including a spaghetti bolognese, a chicken curry and a packet of meatballs, talking about their salt levels to encourage people to 'Eat no more than 6g of salt per day' and to 'Check the labels for lower salt products'.

The scheduling of the advert is being selected to reach our target audience of women aged 25-54 in the C2DE category and will run in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

The Agency is currently developing messaging and creative plans for the third phase of its salt campaign, which is expected to launch in spring 2007.

Background to the FSA's salt campaign:

-- In 2003, the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) published a report entitled 'Salt and Health' which concluded that reducing the population's average salt intake would lower average blood pressure levels and therefore result in significant public health benefits by contributing to a reduction in cardiovascular disease.

-- Scientific experts agree that excessive salt consumption increases the risk of high blood pressure, which, in turn, increases the chances of both cardiovascular disease and stroke. High blood pressure is a cause or contributing factor in 170,000 deaths in England alone each year.

-- SACN recommended that the average population intake be reduced to 6g a day for adults. Specific targets were also set for children.

-- Phase One of the Agency's public health campaign was launched in September 2004 - increasing awareness of the risks of high salt consumption. Research showed that the average salt intake in 2000/01 for adults was 9.5g per day (11g for men, 7.8g for women).

-- Phase Two followed in October 2005, encouraging consumers to 'check the label' and emphasising the 6g a day recommendation. Phase Three, to be launched in 2007, will reinforce these messages.

Visit the FSA's salt campaign website at http://www.salt.gov.uk

Food Standards Agency, UK

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