High salt intake results in 1770 preventable deaths every year

In Australia, much of the salt is hidden in processed and packaged foods. Photo: Getty

Australians are being encouraged to cut back on foods high in salt like sausages, bread and ready-to-go meals to prevent an estimated 1770 deaths per year, according to a new study.

The study also shows that reducing salt in packaged foods in Australia could prevent 7000 annual diagnoses of heart disease, kidney disease and stomach cancer.