In the UK, people are being advised to reduce their consumption of ham, bacon, and cheese to lower their salt intake and decrease their risk of heart attacks and strokes. High salt intake raises blood pressure, which is a leading cause of preventable deaths in the UK. Blood Pressure UK estimates that up to 4 million Britons may have undiagnosed high blood pressure. This condition often goes unnoticed because it lacks obvious symptoms and typically requires a checkup or a serious health issue to be detected.
Phil Pyatt, Chief Executive of Blood Pressure UK, emphasized the importance of monitoring blood pressure and making dietary and lifestyle changes. The NHS recommends a daily salt limit of 6 grams. Although average salt intake decreased from over 9 grams to about 8 grams in the 2000s, it has not significantly improved since then.
In 2014, treating high blood pressure cost the NHS in England over £2 billion. Blood Pressure UK highlighted that bacon contains high levels of salt, with Morrison’s smoked streaky bacon containing up to 5.6 grams per 100 grams. A two-rasher bacon bap with ketchup can account for a third of the daily salt limit, and adding two more rashers would use up half the recommended limit in one meal.
To reduce salt intake, the charity advises avoiding added salt, stock cubes, gravy, and soy sauce, and cutting down on processed foods. Data from NHS England and the Office for National Statistics indicate that 32% of adults in England have high blood pressure, with 29% of these cases undiagnosed.
NHS England is introducing a new initiative to offer blood pressure checks during dental care or eye tests, aiming to detect undiagnosed hypertension. Over the past year, pharmacies have provided more than 1 million blood pressure checks. Globally, 1.28 billion adults have hypertension, with 80% of cases poorly controlled.
