...but ease back on salt

EATING too much salt more than doubles the risk of heart failure, scientists have found.

Experts have long known that salt increases high-blood pressure – but the new research suggests it also does direct damage to the heart.

Researchers at the National Institute for Health and Welfare in Helsinki tracked 4, 30 healthy adults for 12 years.

They found 20 per cent of people were eating more than 13.7g daily. The UK guideline is g.

These people were twice as likely to suffer heart failure than those who ate less than

.8g. Lead researcher Professor Pekka Jousilahti said: ‘The heart does not like salt. High salt intake markedly increases the risk of heart failure.’