Reducing salt cuts cardiovascular disease risk: study

Cutting back on salt intake could lower the risk of developing heart disease by 25 per cent, in addition to lower blood pressure benefits,say researchers who studied people with borderline high blood pressure.

Researchers in the U.S. looked at more than 3,000 people in two trials with pre-hypertensionwho reduced their sodium intake by 25 per cent to 35 per cent, compared with control groups that did not.

'Results of our follow-up study reinforce recommendations to lower dietary sodium intake as a means of preventing cardiovascular disease in the general population.' — Study's authors

Since participants had pre-hypertension, they were already at higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Reducing salt also reduced that risk of dying from cardiovascular disease by 20 per cent over the next 10 to 15 years, the team reported in Friday's online issue of the British Medical Journal.

Those who reduced their sodium intakealso tended to stick with the lower salt diet in the long term, Dr. Nancy Cook ofHarvard Medical School in Boston and her colleagues found.

"Results of our follow-up study reinforce recommendations to lower dietary sodium intake as a means of preventing cardiovascular disease in the general population," the study's authors concluded.

"Our study provides unique evidence that sodium reduction might prevent cardiovascular disease and should dispel any residual concern that sodium reduction might be harmful."

About 77 per cent of study participants provided detailed health information, including 200 who said they had a cardiovascular problem. Sodium levels were measured in urine tests during the trial, and participants reported blood pressure, weight and sodium intake for the follow-up.

Canadians consuming excess salt

The study is the first that was large and long enough to assess the effects of low salt diet on cardiovascular problems using data from randomized trials, the study's authors said.

Beyond salt's established effect on blood pressure, it may alsoaffect arteries. Sodium may reduce the ability of blood vessels to expand and contract and toughen heart cells, other studies suggested.

Last week, a report from Statistics Canada said Canadians of all ages were putting themselves at risk of developing serious health risks by opting for salty hotdogs and hamburgers along with sodium-packed pizzas and submarine sandwiches.

In total, the national Canadian average for daily sodium intake registered at 3,092 milligrams, one-third more than the recommended daily limit. The average American and British diet also exceeds the recommended limit.

According to the U.S.-based Institute of Medicine, exceeding the recommended upper limit of 2,300 milligrams of sodium daily for people over the age of 14 can lead to health problems including hypertension, which can cause strokes, heart attacks and kidney failure.