Our findings that salt intake is decreasing by 0.175 grams/day per year are consistent with the limited data available from
24 hour urine surveys conducted in the UK to monitor this strategy which found that salt intake decreased by 0.2 grams/day per year (from 9.0 to 8.6 grams) between 2006 and 2008. The higher salt intake in men identified in our study may not only reflect greater energy consumption but lower knowledge of government guidance and greater voluntary use of salt in food
preparation. Consistent with previous research we found higher salt intake in young people and ethnic minorities and increased voluntary salt use in lower socio-economic groups.