NICE recommends that the food industry cut salt, sugar, and fat to save lives

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has issued guidance aimed at saving “tens of thousands of lives” in England by focusing on the effect that food production has on the nation’s diet.

The guidance, launched on Tuesday 22 June, targets three “toxic components” of our diet: salt, trans fats, and saturated fats.

Key recommendations include speeding up the reduction of salt intake in the population—aiming for a maximum intake per person of 6 g a day by 2015 and 3 g a day by 2025. This alone could save 20 000 lives every year, claim members of NICE’s guidance development group.

The guidance also encourages manufacturers to substantially reduce hidden …