The Coalition Government says it has “no plans” to regulate salt content in food, despite new pleas from stroke survivors today.
This morning, the Stroke Foundation launched a campaign for mandatory standards to limit the amount of salt in the products we eat, describing it as a “hidden killer”.
But by 3pm this was rejected by Food Safety Minister Andrew Hoggard.
Instead, he released a statement saying he wanted New Zealanders to “have the information they need” to make healthier choices.
The Stroke Foundation believes many Kiwis don't know how much salt they're consuming, which is often hidden in everyday packaged foods.
Eating too much salt can increase blood pressure and cause brain attacks and strokes.
The World Health Organization recommends that people consume no more than 5 grams per day, which is roughly the equivalent of one teaspoon.
Jess Winchester, general manager of fundraising and marketing at the Stroke Foundation, said she recently accidentally reached her limit with just one cup of packaged soup.
“It was delicious on a cold day, but when I checked the back of the bag, it was my full daily recommended amount of salt,” she said.
Ms Winchester believed many New Zealanders were doing the same without realizing it.
“The biggest problem is that we don't know it's there and we're eating it unconsciously,” she said.
Researchers recently measured around 7,000 products on New Zealand supermarket shelves and assessed the amount of salt each product contained.
The results showed that almost two-thirds exceeded the standards set by the World Health Organization.
“It's a pie, it's a pastry, it's a dessert, it's a sausage roll. Even the plant-based foods we use to try to reduce our meat intake are loaded with salt, so there are so many different Salt is hidden in many foods,” Winchester said.
Stroke is the leading cause of disability in New Zealand, affecting more than 9,500 people each year.
“My life will never be the same again”
Auckland resident Jamie Summers is one of the many survivors who suffered a stroke in 2019 at the age of 39.
“I was very lucky. My wife saved my life that day. I probably thought I was invincible. And I learned the hard way. “'s life will never be the same again,” he said.
The stroke affected the left side of his body and his eyesight, and he had to learn to walk again.
The condition can be caused by a variety of issues, and Summers doesn't know exactly what caused it, but she admits her diet wasn't the best.
“Before my stroke, I never really thought much about what I ate. Especially working on construction sites, my diet consisted of gas station pies and quick and easy foods, and I didn't want to eat healthy. “It's very easy to stop thinking about your options,” he said.
He is now almost fully recovered and agrees that reducing the amount of salt in processed foods will help.
“I'm definitely more careful with food,” he said.
The Stroke Foundation continues to call for improved food labeling to make risks more clear, saying many products do not display Health Star ratings.
But demands for mandatory standards as part of their campaign appear to have hit a wall on the first day.
The government rejected the plea and voted in favor of allowing the choice.