Cash calls on the softs drinks industry to drop any campaign to encourage sales of salty snacks

Professor Graham MacGregor, Cash

Professor Graham MacGregor, who leads Cash, said: "Cash are working with the government and the Food Standards Agency to try to reduce the levels of salt in the UK diet.

"Some food manufacturers and major supermarkets have already begun to reduce the very high salt content of their manufactured foods.

"Cash calls on the softs drinks industry to back this work by dropping any campaign to encourage sales of salty snacks, and work with them on this issue."

Extra litre

A study published on Monday demonstrates the powerful effects that excess salt consumption has on the human body.

More than 100 patients with high blood pressure were given either a high or a low-salt diet.

Those on the high-salt diet produced 2.2 litres of urine a day, compared to 1.3 litres for those on the low-salt diet.

Reducing dietary salt from 10g a day to the recommended five would mean drinking approximtaely 350mls a day more - equivalent to just over a can of drink.

High salt consumption has been linked to high blood pressure, which can place patients at increased risk of stroke or heart disease.