11M
Deaths linked to poor diet each year
Unhealthy diets were linked to about 11 million adult deaths worldwide in 2017 — more than any other risk factor, including tobacco.
Source: GBD, The Lancet 2019
DASH diet
The DASH diet was designed to lower blood pressure. Learn the food servings, salt limits, a 7-day DASH meal plan and how it compares to UK advice.
DASH in numbers
5–11
mmHg lower systolic blood pressure in DASH trials
<6 g
salt a day — the UK adult maximum (DASH low-salt aims lower)
1 in 3
UK adults has high blood pressure, many undiagnosed
2 weeks
is how soon blood pressure improvements were seen
DASH daily servings (about 2,000 kcal)
| Food group | Servings | Example serving |
|---|---|---|
| Wholegrains | 6–8 a day | 1 slice wholemeal bread |
| Vegetables | 4–5 a day | 80 g cooked vegetables |
| Fruit | 4–5 a day | 1 medium fruit |
| Low-fat dairy | 2–3 a day | 200 ml milk or 150 g yoghurt |
| Lean meat, poultry, fish | ≤6 oz (170 g) a day | Palm-sized portion |
| Nuts, seeds, legumes | 4–5 a week | 30 g nuts or 3 tbsp beans |
| Sweets | ≤5 a week | 1 tbsp jam |
7-day DASH meal plan
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mon | Porridge with milk and banana | Wholemeal chicken salad sandwich | Baked cod, sweet potato, broccoli |
| Tue | Yoghurt, berries and oats | Bean and vegetable soup | Turkey stir-fry with brown rice |
| Wed | Wholemeal toast, unsalted peanut butter | Jacket potato with tuna and sweetcorn | Lentil dahl with spinach |
| Thu | Bran flakes, milk, sliced apple | Leftover dahl with wholemeal pitta | Grilled chicken, quinoa and roast veg |
| Fri | Scrambled eggs, tomatoes | Mixed bean salad | Salmon, new potatoes, peas |
| Sat | Overnight oats with pear | Vegetable omelette and salad | Wholewheat pasta with tomato and lentil sauce |
| Sun | Yoghurt, nuts, berries | Roast chicken (no gravy salt), vegetables | Vegetable soup and wholemeal roll |
Cutting salt the DASH way
- Most UK salt is already in food — bread, cheese, ready meals, sauces and processed meat
- Check labels: over 1.5 g salt per 100 g is high, 0.3 g or less is low
- Flavour with herbs, garlic, lemon and spices instead of salt
- Choose tinned beans and vegetables 'in water' with no added salt
Tip
Get your blood pressure checked for free at many UK pharmacies if you are 40 or over.
World health facts
All facts1 in 5
Deaths tied to diet
Roughly one in every five deaths globally is associated with dietary risks.
Source: GBD, The Lancet 2019
17.9M
Heart disease deaths per year
Cardiovascular diseases are the world's leading cause of death; an unhealthy diet is a key risk factor.
Source: WHO 2021
830M
People living with diabetes
Adults with diabetes rose from about 200 million in 1990 to around 830 million in 2022.
Source: WHO / NCD-RisC, The Lancet 2024
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Questions people ask
What is the DASH diet?
DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. It is rich in vegetables, fruit, wholegrains and low-fat dairy, and low in salt, sugar and saturated fat.
How quickly does the DASH diet lower blood pressure?
In trials, blood pressure began to fall within about two weeks.
Is the DASH diet good for weight loss?
It is not designed for weight loss, but its high fibre and lower-calorie foods can help when portions are controlled.
Sources
- • US NHLBI: DASH Eating Plan
- • Sacks et al., NEJM (2001) DASH-Sodium trial
- • NHS: How to lower blood pressure
- • Blood Pressure UK
General information based on UK public health sources, not medical advice. Speak to your GP or a registered dietitian before major diet changes, especially if you are pregnant, have a health condition or take medication.