Eating too much salt has been blamed for 10,000 heart disease deaths across Europe.
Excess salt intake is causing thousands of deaths around Europe
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has found that 52 of the 53 countries - including the UK - in its European Region are consuming more than the recommended 5g of salt per day.
Excessive salt intake is the primary cause of raised blood pressure, which raises the risk of heart attacks and strokes.
Health officials say that processed food and street food, such as those purchased from supermarkets and takeaway joints, are the main "culprits" for overloading people with salt.
Dr. Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO regional director for Europe, said: "We know what works, but time and time again, we fall short of implementing evidence-based approaches, resulting in unacceptably high levels of avoidable deaths.
"Implementing targeted policies to reduce salt intake by 25 per cent could save an estimated 900,000 lives from cardiovascular diseases by 2030."