A study shows global food brands distributed in Canada often contain more salt than their counterparts sold in other countries.

The study by the British-based World Action on Salt and Health, or WASH, analyzed the salt content of 260 food products under global brands such as KFC, McDonald's, Kellogg, Nestlé, Burger King and Subway.

Leading health organizations say urgent action is needed to reduce sodium levels in the foods eaten by Canadians to prevent death and disability from stroke and heart disease. (Larry Crowe/Associated Press)

Not a single product surveyed had the same salt content in different markets around the world, the study found, and some displayed huge differences from one country to another.

The salt level in Canada was near the top end of the spectrum in many cases.

Canadians who like to start the day with a bowl of Kellogg's All-Bran cereal, for instance, are eating 233 per cent more salt than people having the same breakfast in the United States.

All-Bran sold in Canada contains 2.15 grams of salt, or sodium chloride, per 100 grams, compared with just 0.65 of a gram south of the border.

The 310 milligrams of pure sodium in a standard 36-gram portion of All-Bran cereal represents only 13 per cent of the 2,400-mg daily sodium intake that Health Canada recommends, Kellogg noted in a release.

Another Kellogg product, Special K cereal, contains 2.3 grams of salt per 100 grams of cereal in Canada, whereas the Turkish version contains only one gram of salt.

Onion Rings sold at Burger King locations in Canada contain 1.7 grams of salt per 100 grams, but the same item in British outlets contains less than 0.4 of a gram.

WASH chairman Graham MacGregor is calling on food manufacturers to lower the amount of salt they put in their products, saying excessive salt intake can increase the risk of heart disease.

The United Kingdom rated comparatively well, with salt levels in the bottom half of the table for most products, reflecting that salt reduction has been a focus for public health in the U.K. for several years, WASH said.

The data used for comparison was collected from manufacturers' own websites.

"Sodium reduction in our cereals is an ongoing program for Kellogg Canada," Kellogg Canada vice-president Christine Lowry said.

"As part of this project, we've already reduced sodium levels in our children's products … and we are now focused on reducing sodium levels in our adult brands. We're hopeful that our current efforts behind All-Bran will achieve early success and will be in market soon."

With files from The Canadian Press