Study: salt boosts heart disease
Updated on 20 April 2007
New US research shows that lower salt intake significantly reduces the risk of heart disease.
There were calls on the food industry to reduce the amount of salt it adds to its products today after new research confirmed the direct connection between salt intake and heart disease.
An American study found that cutting back on salt intake by over 25 per cent reduces the chances of developing heart disease or stroke by a quarter.
Current salt consumption in Britain is one third higher than doctors recommend. But campaigners say nearly 80 per cent of this intake comes from salt added by the food industry.
It's a basic ingredient in most of our meals. Nutritionists have always said too much salt is bad for you. But now, for the first time, scientists have discovered exactly how much damage it does.
A study by the Harvard Medical School has found that reducing the amount of salt in food could save thousands of lives.
But how easy will it be to keep to the new regime? One bag of crisps could use up more than half the recommended amount. It's the same with a portion of baked beans.
Harvard Medical School trial
- In this 15-year trial people were asked to reduce their salt intake by a third, moving from an average of 9 grams to 6 grams daily.
- After reducing intake, people were found to have a 25 per cent lower risk of heart attack.
- After reducing intake, people were found a 20 per cent lower risk of premature death.
But the Salt Manufacturers Association is sceptical of the study. It says the trial only examines people with high blood pressure, and fails to provide useful health evidence for the vast majority of people.
But even if this were the case, some medical experts say that if all the people with high blood pressure could be pursuaded to check the labels and drop their salt intake, up to 35,000 deaths each year could be prevented.
It's a responsibility that consumers, retailer and food manufacturers must shoulder together.
