New Zealand fast food contains considerably more salt than similar meals in Europe, a Canadian study has found.
The study, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal and undertaken by researchers in Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States, looked at the salt content of 2124 food items on the menu at Burger King (Hungry Jack's in Australia) Domino's Pizza, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), McDonald's, Pizza Hut and Subway.
Comparisons were made between the salt content in savoury breakfast meals, burgers, chicken products, pizza, salads, sandwiches and French fries.
Despite the restaurants chains all being owned by multi-national corporations, salt levels differed widely between countries, with sodium levels in France and the UK markedly lower than the other countries.
The study found New Zealand fast foods on average contained 8 per cent more sodium than comparable foods in the UK and 18 per cent more than equivalent meals in France.