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- Cut salt intake, warn experts
Cut salt intake, warn experts
25 November 2009: Millions of people eat more than twice the recommended daily amount of salt, putting themselves at a greater risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.
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European researchers looked at data from 13 studies carried out over the last 12 years which linked salt intake with stroke and cardiovascular disease. These included more than 170,000 adults who had over 10,000 incidents of stroke or cardiovascular disease.
The studies used different methods to measure salt levels such as food questionnaires and urine sampling. The participants in the studies were from six different countries (the US, Finland, Japan, the Netherlands, Scotland and Taiwan).
The researchers already knew that salt is linked to stroke and cardiovascular disease, but were trying to find out if the amount of salt had an effect.
They found the higher the amount of salt, the greater the risk of dying from stroke or cardiovascular disease. High salt intake increased risk regardless of age, ethnicity or gender.
The researchers suggest that if everyone consumed 5g less of salt each day it could prevent over a million stroke deaths and almost three million deaths from cardiovascular disease worldwide.
People who live in Western countries eat about 10g of salt each day. In Eastern European and Asian countries this figure is even higher. Although daily recommendations vary between countries, the World Health Organization advises a maximum of 5g of salt each day.
Salt intake may even have been underestimated in the studies and worldwide salt consumption may be even higher. Levels of salt in urine go up and down during the day and only one daily measurement of urine was taken. This could have affected the results because less salt may have been in the sample than at other times of the day.
Dr Sneh Khemka, medical director for Bupa International, commented:
“We already know that salt is linked to stroke and cardiovascular disease. What this study shows is the more salt you consume, the greater your risk.
“This gives an overview of the research conducted in this area. It highlights the need to eat a healthy, balanced diet to help reduce adverse health effects.
“Look at food and drink labels, consider what you are putting in the food you are making and try to work out if there is more than 5g of salt in your diet. By limiting the amount of salt in your diet, you may dramatically reduce your risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease.”
Key facts
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A stroke occurs if blood doesn’t get to the brain. This can happen when blood vessels to the brain become blocked or burst. Stroke can cause brain damage or death if not treated quickly.
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More than 5.5 million deaths worldwide are caused by stroke each year.
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Cardiovascular diseases affect the heart and blood vessels.
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Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in people over 60 around the world.
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In people aged 15 to 59, cardiovascular disease is the second most common cause of death.
- About 17.5 million deaths from cardiovascular disease occur each year.
Read the study
Salt intake, stroke and cardiovascular disease: meta-analysis of prospective studies
BMJ 2009;339:b4567 doi:10.1136/bmj.b4567
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/339/nov24_1/b4567
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What this study shows is the more salt you consume, the greater your risk.
Dr Sneh Khemka
Read the study
Salt intake, stroke, and cardiovascular disease: meta-analysis of prospective studies
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