Diets that are rich in sugar and salt but low in fresh fruit and veg were linked to the deaths of 11 million people around the world in 2017, a major study has found. 

The toll amounts to one in five deaths globally, according to the study, published in the Lancet medical journal.

The Global Burden of Disease study looked at the impact of 15 dietary factors across 195 countries between 1990 and 2017.

It found that the poor diets are fuelling fatalities from health conditions like heart disease, cancer and diabetes. 

Salt was one of the factors, according to the study authors, but there were others too, including too little fruit and veg, causing many people to miss out on vital fibre. 

In the UK, around 90,000 people died due to unhealthy eating habits, accounting for around one in seven deaths. 

British diets were found to be especially lacking in wholegrain, nuts and fresh fruit. 

Uzbekistan had the highest rate of deaths linked to poor diet, while Israel had the lowest, with the UK ranking 23rd. 

In general, researchers said people were eating twice the recommended amount of processed meat - 4g per day instead of 2g per day - and drinking over 10 times the recommended amount of sugary drinks, Reuters reports. 

At the same time, globally people were found to be consuming well below the recommended amount of nuts and seeds - only 3g per day against the 21g recommended by nutritionists. 

Researcher Dr Christopher Murray, from the University of Washington, said: "This study affirms what many have thought for several years – that poor diet is responsible for more deaths than any other risk factor in the world.

"Our assessment suggests the leading dietary risk factors are high intake of sodium, or low intake of healthy foods, such as whole grains, fruit, nuts and seeds, and vegetables."