New research published in the journal Hypertension suggests that relatively small cuts to the amount of salt in packaged foods, bread, and takeout meals could significantly cut rates of heart disease and stroke.
The research included two studies conducted in France and the U.K. In the French study, researchers determined that reducing the amount of salt added to baguettes and other types of bread could reduce salt intake by about 0.35 grams per person per day. This small change could result in over 1,000 fewer deaths due to heart disease over time. In the U.K. study, an analysis was conducted to determine how meeting country-wide sodium reduction goals could impact daily salt intake and health. The results determined that the reduction could lead to 17.5% less daily salt intake per person per day, which could prevent about 100,000 cases of ischemic heart disease and about 25,000 strokes over a 20-year period.
Salt reductions in packaged foods are important because excessive salt intake is a leading contributor to high blood pressure. Over time, high blood pressure can force the heart to work harder to pump blood while also damaging and stiffening artery walls, which can contribute to plaque buildup and an increased risk of blockages. Because of this, many countries are implementing initiatives to lower salt intake and therefore lower blood pressure at the population level. This small change could improve health outcomes while also reducing health care costs due to heart disease and its complications.
The authors of the French study noted that initiatives to lower salt intake at a country-wide level are particularly effective because they don’t rely on individuals to change their behavior. Instead, the food environment is healthier by default, resulting in better health outcomes with less individual effort or willpower.
Sources: Hypertension, Science Daily