Nutritionist: Australians eating too much salt

CANBERRA, Dec. 3 (Chinese media) -- A nutritionist in Australia has revealed that Australians were consuming well over the maximum recommended intake of six grams of salt a day.

"Despite being aware of the adverse health effects of salt, most Australian consumers are taking little action to reduce their intake," Jacqui Webster, a senior project manager based at Sydney's The George Institute for International Health, told the Nutrition Society of Australia conference in Adelaide, state capital of South Australia, on Wednesday.

Less than 5 percent of all sausages and beef burgers sold in the nation's supermarkets contained acceptable levels of salt, she said.

"Consuming too much salt, or sodium, can lead to serious health problems including high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, stroke, osteoporosis and stomach cancer. There is also some evidence that it adds to the severity of asthma symptoms," she waned.

Webster said the 2007 Australian National Children's Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey showed boys were consuming around nine grams of salt daily, while girls came in at the maximum six grams.

She said it was also likely that many adults consumed in excess of the nine grams of salt each day.

Webster said foods contributing to high salt diet included bread, processed meats, baked beans, canned vegetables, table sauces, some breakfast cereals and fast food.

Leading nutritionists from around Australia and the world are attending the conference in Adelaide.