Sourced: The Australian
MANY popular brands of fast food contain so much salt that just one product would provide half the recommended daily intake of sodium in one hit, while some have much more - raising the risk of chronic health problems such as high blood pressure.
A survey of salt levels in leading fast food brands, to be released today by Sydney-based health experts, found three-quarters of the burger and sandwich-style products sold by six companies provided more than 50 per cent of the suggested daily target.
One product - KFC's Zinger Double BBQ Bacon & Cheese Burger - provided the highest amount of salt, with 2410mg of sodium per burger.
That is equivalent to 150 per cent of the suggested dietary target of 1600mg recommended by the National Health and Medical Research Council, and 104 per cent of the 2300mg daily upper limit.
The survey, conducted by the Australian Division of the World Action on Salt and Health organisation (AWASH), surveyed products sold by KFC, Hungry Jack's, Oporto, Red Rooster, Subway and McDonald's. It found one Red Rooster chicken and chips meal contained a "shocking" 2800mg of sodium.
AWASH chairman Bruce Neal, professor of medicine at the University of Sydney, said that despite entreaties to cut salt levels, the fast-food industry was still "fiddling around the edges". This was despite high blood pressure being a leading cause of death in Australia, alongside smoking.
AWASH, which is a project of The George Institute for International Health in Sydney, has already held talks with food manufacturers to persuade them to lower salt levels by an average of 25 per cent over the next five years.
Professor Neal said the fast-food industry was the next target, as 80 per cent of the salt eaten by the average Australian was added to processed or catered foods.
Just 10 per cent is added to home-cooked food, while the remaining 10 per cent occurs in food naturally.
McDonald's Hamburger provided the lowest level of salt, equivalent to just 27 per cent of the suggested daily target. Both McDonald's and Subway told the survey authors they had plans to reduce salt levels in their foods.
A spokeswoman for Yum! Restaurants International, owner of the KFC brand, said the company would need to examine the findings before responding.
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