High pressure and osmotic shock tactics
High salt intake directly linked to stroke and cardiovascular disease is the conclusion from a recent paper in the British Medical Journal. High salt intake is associated with significantly greater risk of both stroke and cardiovascular disease. The link between high salt intake and high blood pressure is well established, and it has been suggested that a population-wide reduction in dietary salt intake has the potential to substantially reduce the levels of cardiovascular disease.
The World Health Organization recommended level of salt consumption is 5g (about one teaspoon) per day at the population level, yet dietary salt intake in most Western countries is close to 10g per day (and much higher in many Eastern European countries).
Leading London Blood Pressure expert Prof MacGregor says:
Blood pressure is the biggest cause of death in the world through the strokes and heart attacks it causes. Salt slowly puts up our blood pressure and as this important study clearly demonstrates, is directly responsible for many thousands of strokes, heart attacks and heart failure deaths each year in the UK and the world.
The public health benefits of reducing salt have long been known, and the UK are leading the way in salt reduction, however it is vital that manufacturers and caterers continue to reduce the amount of salt they add to food if we are to save the maximum number of lives.
The targeted reduction in the UK was 3.5g salt/day from 9.5g to the current UK maximum target for salt of 6g, however this study clearly demonstrates that a greater reduction in salt intake would have a much greater benefit.
Anyone seeking further information on Salt Reduction strategies can contact totalhealth via this simple on-line form.
