The bar chart below shows the salt intake of men and women in different age groups one European country in 2019. | Ielts writing task 1 | real eaxm ielts writing task 1 |

Writing task 1 (a report)

The bar chart below shows the salt intake of men and women in different age groups one European country in 2019.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

 Sample Answer

The bar chart illustrates the average daily salt consumption of men and women across different age groups in a European country in 2019. The recommended daily intake of 2300 mg is also indicated for comparison.

Overall, salt intake exceeded the recommended limit in nearly all age groups for both genders, with men consistently consuming more salt than women. Salt consumption increased with age, peaking in middle age, before gradually declining in older age groups.

In the youngest age group (2–5 years), both genders consumed the least salt, at just under 2000 mg per day, which was below the recommended amount. Intake rose steadily across subsequent groups, with men’s consumption reaching around 5000 mg and women’s about 3800 mg in the 20–29 age group. The highest intake was recorded in the 30–39 group, where men consumed over 5000 mg daily, while women’s intake reached about 4000 mg.

After age 40, daily salt intake gradually declined for both genders. In the 40–49 group, men consumed just below 5000 mg and women around 3500 mg. This downward trend continued through the 50–59 and 60–69 age groups. Among those aged 70 and above, intake fell to approximately 3800 mg for men and just above 2000 mg for women, slightly above the recommended level for men but almost at the recommended level for women. Throughout all age groups, men consistently consumed more salt than women, often nearly double the recommended limit.