Lowering sodium in packaged and prepared foods could significantly improve cardiovascular health and prevent many cases of heart disease, stroke and deaths in the general population in France and the U.K., according to two new research studies published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.
Consuming too much sodium is a major risk factor for hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, which can lead to health complications such as heart attack, stroke, chronic kidney disease, dementia and other forms of cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association. To address the global concern about excessive sodium consumption, many countries have implemented salt-reduction strategies to improve public health and reduce health costs.
Two studies—one in France involving salt-reduction targets for baguettes and other bread products in 2025, and the other in the United Kingdom focusing on 2024 goals for takeaway and packaged foods—estimated the potential impact on the general population if those salt-reduction targets were met. The projections calculated in these two studies indicate that minor adjustments in sodium content to some of the most common prepared foods in each country would require no effort from people to change their eating habits, yet may produce significant public health benefits.
“This approach is particularly powerful because it does not rely on individual behavior change, which is often difficult to achieve and sustain. Instead, it creates a healthier food environment by default,” said Clemence Grave, M.D., lead author of the study from France and epidemiologist and public health physician at the French National Public Health Agency.
The World Health Organization recommends adults should consume less than 2,000 milligrams (mg) of sodium per day, however, global intake is much higher. The American Heart Association recommends daily intake of no more than 2,300 mg of sodium a day—equal to about 1 teaspoon of table salt—but also says the ideal limit is no higher than 1,500 mg per day for most adults, especially for those with high blood pressure.
Sodium reduction in bread (France)
In 2019, France set a national public health goal to reduce salt consumption by 30%. In 2022, a voluntary agreement was signed between the government and bread producers to lower salt content by 2025. Bread, especially the baguette, is a culturally and nutritionally central food in France, yet it can be high in salt—traditionally containing about 25% of total daily recommended intake of salt. By 2023, most breads made in France already met the new sodium standards.
To understand the potential impact of the agreement on public health, researchers used national data and a mathematical model to estimate how many cases of cardio-cerebrovascular disease, kidney disease and dementia could be prevented if the salt-reduction targets met full compliance. The analysis found that with bread consumption remaining the same and sodium-reduction targets fully met, less salt in baguettes and bread would decrease daily intake by 0.35 g per person, leading to slightly lower blood pressure across the population.
Specifically, the analysis revealed that estimates for 100% compliance to salt-reductions meant deaths are estimated to have declined 0.18% (by 1,186) annually, hospitalizations for ischemic heart disease have dropped by 1.04%, while hospitalizations for hemorrhagic stroke and ischemic stroke have fallen by 1.05% and 0.88% respectively. The study’s modeling suggests men received the greatest benefits across all age groups, with 0.87% of heart diseases and strokes prevented among men (vs 0.63% among women). Among women, the avoidable proportion is highest among those aged 55 to 64 years old.
“This salt-reduction measure went completely unnoticed by the French population—no one realized that bread contained less salt,” Grave said. “Our findings show that reformulating food products, even with small, invisible changes, can have a significant impact on public health.”
Sodium reduction in packaged foods and take-out meals (United Kingdom)
For the study in the U.K., researchers used national survey data to estimate the amount of salt people consumed from pre-prepared packaged and take-out meals. They then estimated daily sodium intake if all relevant food categories met the 2024 sodium-reduction targets. Sales-weighted average and maximum salt content targets were set for 84 grocery food categories—including bread, cheeses, meats, and snacks—and, for the first time, 24 out-of-home categories such as burgers, curries, and pizza.
The research found that fully meeting the sodium reduction goals could have reduced average salt intake from about 6.1 g to 4.9 g per day—translating to an estimated average of 17.5% less salt consumed per person per day. Even this small, daily reduction in salt would lower blood pressure modestly across the population, and the improvements could add up. During a 20-year period, the modeling suggests that about 103,000 cases of ischemic heart disease and approximately 25,000 strokes could be prevented in the U.K. Over people’s lifetimes, the blood pressure reductions would translate into roughly 243,000 additional quality-adjusted life years and £1 billion in savings (about $1.3 billion in U.S. dollars) for the U.K.’s National Health Service.
“If U.K. food companies had fully met the 2024 salt reduction targets, the resulting drop in salt intake across the population could have prevented tens of thousands of heart attacks and strokes, saved substantially in health costs and significantly improved public health,” said Lauren Bandy, D.Phil., the study’s lead author and a researcher in food and population health at the University of Oxford. “Strengthening and enforcing salt reduction policies both in the U.K. and globally could unlock these benefits.”
Daniel W. Jones, M.D., FAHA, chair of the 2025 American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology High Blood Pressure Guideline, said the results are “absolutely relevant” to the U.S. and any country where much of the food consumed is prepared outside the home. “Both of these modelling studies demonstrate the potential benefit in reducing risk for heart disease and stroke by reducing sodium consumption. This ‘national’ approach to limiting salt content in commercially prepared foods is a key strategy for countries where a major part of food consumption is from foods prepared outside the home.”
