Britons eat 22 packets of crisps and salt a day.

Britons are eating the same amount of salt each week as in 155 packets of crisps, our new survey shows.

Brits eat the equivalent of 155 bags of crisps a week, our new research reveals.We are calling on governments to act quickly to reduce the amount of salt in food.

Working-age adults in England eat an average of 8.4g of salt a day - 40 per cent more than the government's recommended maximum of 6g.

The difference between the amount of salt the average Briton eats per day compared to UK national guidelines is the equivalent of six packets of salty potato crisps.

Eating too much salt can lead to high blood pressure, which is linked to half of all heart attacks and strokes.

Reducing the average daily salt intake in the UK to within the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2030 can prevent up to 135,000 new cases of coronary heart disease over 14 years.

Salt contains sodium, which plays a role in regulating the body's fluid balance.

Eating too much salt draws extra water into the bloodstream, increasing blood volume and raising blood pressure.Over time, this puts strain on your heart and blood vessels, increasing your risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and vascular dementia.

An estimated 30 per cent of adults in the UK have high blood pressure, but as many as 5 million people are thought not to know they have it.Reducing your salt intake is one of the simplest and most effective ways to reduce this risk.

Despite these risks, a new poll by YouGov of more than 2,000 adults shows that more than half (56%) of Britons are unsure of their daily salt intake.Awareness of the maximum recommended intake of 6g in the UK is low, with only 16% knowing the exact amount.

A fifth (20%) believed it was more than 6g, a third (32%) said they did not know and another third (32%) believed the upper limit was 5g.

Dell Stanford, our nutritionist, said: “Most of the salt we eat is hidden in the foods we buy such as breads, cereals, pre-made sauces and ready meals, so it is often difficult to know how much salt we are using.

“This is bad news for the health of our heart, because eating too much salt increases the risk of high blood pressure, one of the main causes of heart attacks, strokes and other serious diseases.

"The government needs to take action to make healthy choices easier for families by encouraging manufacturers to remove excess salt from our food."

Reducing salt intake among the entire population will have significant health benefits and save lives.

Charities are therefore calling on the UK government to prioritize salt.and take decisive action to make everyday food healthier.

We are calling on the Government to ensure that the next healthy diet plan - a plan aimed at reducing obesity - includes a mandatory target encouraging all food manufacturers to reduce the level of salt in their products.

This, they hope, will be a big step in helping the UK control salt and improve health across the country.

READ ABOUT SALT AND HEART