Reducing salt intake and increasing potassium would save millions of lives every year from heart disease and stroke, three new reports claim.
Just two days before the World Health Organisation’s World Health Day, which takes place on 7 April and this year focuses on high blood pressure, the reports in the British Medical Journal today call for a concerted effort to reduce the amount of salt in food.
The World Health Organisation has recommended reducing dietary salt intake to less than 5g per person per day, with a global goal of a 30% relative reduction in mean adult population intake of salt by 2025. In the UK, NICE is recommending a goal to reduce salt intake to 3g per day by 2025 for the adult population.
The first report in the British Medical Journal examines the effects of salt reduction on blood pressure, hormones, and blood fats (lipids) from 34 trials involving more than 3,000 adults.
It found even a modest reduction in salt for four weeks or more led to significant drop in blood pressure in people with had either raised or normal blood pressure. But the researchers said that adult populations should look to achieve a goal of 3g of salt per day.
Similar results were found in a second study, which analysed the results of 56 studies. This found that reducing salt intake reduces blood pressure and has no adverse effect on blood lipids, hormone levels, or kidney function. Lower salt intake was also linked to reduced risk of stroke and fatal heart disease in adults.
The third study looked at data on potassium, which is found in most pulses, fresh fruit and vegetables, and health from 33 trials involving more than 128,000 healthy participants.
It showed that increasing potassium reduces blood pressure in adults, with no adverse effects on blood lipids, hormone levels or kidney function. Higher potassium intake was linked with a 24% lower risk of stroke in adults and may also have a beneficial effect on blood pressure in children, but more data is needed.
The researchers also suggest an increased benefit with simultaneous reduction in salt intake.
Zsuzsanna Jakab, WHO Regional Director for Europe, said: “Salt reduction is one of the most cost-effective ways of reducing the considerable economic burden of high blood pressure.
“While any reduction in salt is positive, in many countries the salt we add at the table is the least of our worries. It’s the salt that’s cooked into foods like bread and meat products that tips the balance. Unless labelling is good and consumers check, it’s easy to overlook this salt.”
Feng J et al. Effect of longer term modest salt reduction on blood pressure: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials. BMJ 5 April 2013; doi: 10.1136/bmj.f1325 [abstract]
Aburto N et al. Effect of lower sodium intake on health: systematic review and meta-analyses. BMJ 5 April 2013; doi: 10.1136/bmj.f1326 [abstract]
Aburto N et al. Effect of increased potassium intake on cardiovascular risk factors and disease: systematic review and meta-analyses. BMJ 5 April 2013; doi: 10.1136/bmj.f1378. [abstract]
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