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Adding Salt to Your Food at the Table Is Linked to Higher Risk of Premature Death

AHA Publisher — Fri, 15 Jul 2022 07:00:08 +0000

European Society of Cardiology via Newswise – People who add extra salt to their food at the table are at higher risk of dying prematurely from any cause, according to a study of more than 500,000 people, published in the European Heart Journal today (Monday). Compared to those who never or rarely added salt, those who always added salt to their food had a 28% increased risk of dying prematurely. In the general population about three in every hundred people aged between 40 and 69 die prematurely. The increased risk from always adding salt to food seen in the current study suggests that one more person in every hundred may die prematurely in this age group. In addition, the study found a lower life expectancy among people who always added salt compared to those who never, or rarely added salt. At the age of 50, 1.5 years and 2.28 years were knocked off the life expectancy of women and men, respectively, who always added salt to their food compared to those who never, or rarely, did. The researchers, led by Professor Lu Qi, of Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, USA, say their findings have several public health implications. “To my knowledge, our study is the first to assess the relation between adding salt to foods and premature death,” he said. “It provides novel evidence to support recommendations to modify eating behaviours for improving health. Even a modest reduction in sodium intake, by adding less or no salt to food at the table, is likely to result in substantial health benefits, especially when it is achieved in the general population.” Assessing overall sodium intake is notoriously difficult as many foods, particularly pre-prepared and processed foods, have high levels of salt added before they even reach the table. Studies assessing salt intake by means of urine tests often only take one urine test and so do not necessarily reflect usual behaviour. In addition, foods that are high in salt are often accompanied by foods rich in potassium, such as fruit and vegetables, which is good for us [1]. Potassium is known to protect against the risk of heart diseases and metabolic diseases such as diabetes, whereas sodium increases the risk of conditions such as cancer, high blood pressure and stroke. For these reasons, the researchers chose to look at whether or not people added salt to their foods at the table, independent of any salt added during cooking. “Adding salt to foods at the table is a common eating behaviour that is directly related to an individual’s long-term preference for salty-tasting foods and habitual salt intake,” said Prof. Qi. “In the Western diet, adding salt at the table accounts for 6-20% of total salt intake and provides a unique way to evaluate the association between habitual sodium intake and the risk of death.” The researchers analysed data from 501,379 people taking part in the UK Biobank study. When joining the study between 2006 and 2010, the participants were asked, via a touch-screen questionnaire, whether they added salt to their foods (i) never/rarely, (ii) sometimes, (iii) usually, (iv) always, or (v) prefer not to answer. Those who preferred not to answer were not included in the analysis. The researchers adjusted their analyses to take account of factors that could affect outcomes, such as age, sex, race, deprivation, body mass index (BMI), smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity, diet and medical conditions such as diabetes, cancer and heart and blood vessel diseases. They followed the participants for a median (average) of nine years. Premature death was defined as death before the age of 75 years. As well as finding that always adding salt to foods was linked to a higher risk of premature death from all causes and a reduction in life expectancy, the researchers found that these risks tended to be reduced slightly in people who consumed the highest amounts of fruit and vegetables, although these results were not statistically significant. “We were not surprised by this finding as fruits and vegetables are major sources of potassium, which has protective effects and is associated with a lower risk of premature death,” said Prof. Qi. He added: “Because our study is the first to report a relation between adding salt to foods and mortality, further studies are needed to validate the findings before making recommendations.” In an editorial to accompany the paper, Professor Annika Rosengren, a senior researcher and professor of medicine at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden, who was not involved with the research, writes that the net effect of a drastic reduction in salt intake for individuals remains controversial. “Given the various indications that a very low intake of sodium may not be beneficial, or even harmful, it is important to distinguish between recommendations on an individual basis and actions on a population level,” she writes. She concludes: “Classic epidemiology argues that a greater net benefit is achieved by the population-wide approach (achieving a small effect in many people) than from targeting high-risk individuals (a large effect but only achieved in a small number of people). The obvious and evidence-based strategy with respect to preventing cardiovascular disease in individuals is early detection and treatment of hypertension, including lifestyle modifications, while salt-reduction strategies at the societal level will lower population mean blood pressure levels, resulting in fewer people developing hypertension, needing treatment, and becoming sick. Not adding extra salt to food is unlikely to be harmful and could contribute to strategies to lower population blood pressure levels.” A strength of Prof. Qi’s study is the large number of people included. It also has some limitations, which include: the possibility that adding salt to food is an indication of an unhealthy lifestyle and lower socio-economic status, although analyses attempted to adjust for this; there was no information on the quantity of salt added; adding salt may be related to total energy intake and intertwined with intake of other foods; participation in UK Biobank is voluntary and therefore the results are not representative of the general population, so further studies are needed to confirm the findings in other populations. Prof. Qi and his colleagues will be carrying out further studies on the relation between adding salt to foods and various chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. They also expect potential clinical trials to test the effects of a reduction in adding salt on health outcomes. [1]An example of a typically salty food that also contains vegetables are tacos, which are often filled with beans and vegetables. To read the original article click here.

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How Much Sodium Per Day Do You Need?

AHA Publisher — Wed, 17 Nov 2021 08:00:05 +0000

Jillian Levy, CHHC via Dr. Axe – How much sodium per day do you need? It turns out, it’s often a lot less than most people consume. As of late 2021, 96 countries around the world have adopted “sodium reduction strategies” to help reduce the amount of sodium that their populations consume on average. One strategy for doing this is by setting limits on the amount of salt and sodium that can be added to popular processed foods and drinks. In October, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition released guidance on “voluntary short-term goals” for sodium content in commercially processed, packaged and prepared foods made in the U.S. The goal of these new guidelines is to reduce excess sodium intake among both children and adults, since studies show that most Americans consume far too much. What’s the danger in consuming too much sodium? Even though it’s a mineral that we need in small amounts to maintain certain bodily functions, a high-sodium diet can contribute to problems like high blood pressure, kidney dysfunction and bone loss. How much sodium per day do you need? Read on to find out. What Is Sodium? Why Do We Need It? Sodium is commonly referred to as “salt.” Many studies show that it’s widely present in the American diet, most often in the form of sodium chloride, which is added to a variety of packaged, canned, bottled and frozen foods and beverages. Even though most people get too much of it, sodium is an important electrolyte mineral that is involved in muscle contraction and the regulation of blood pressure, blood volume and nerve function. How much sodium per day is needed? Sodium recommendations can differ based on a variety of factors. Competitive athletes, for example, should be mindful of their sodium intake and be sure to replenish any electrolytes that are lost through sweat when working out. According to the FDA, more than 70 percent of total sodium intake among Americans is from sodium added during food manufacturing and commercial food preparation. Only 30 percent or less of salt intake is from added table salt or small amounts of salt naturally found in some foods (like meat, dairy products and eggs). When experts refer to “commercially processed and packaged foods,” they are talking about foods to which sodium has been added, not foods that naturally contain some sodium, such as milk. Processed foods that are high in sodium are often multiple-ingredient foods that have been packaged for direct sale to consumers or use in food establishments like restaurants. Sodium is added to packaged and processed foods not only because it enhances the taste, but because it plays a role in food safety and preservation. For example, salt/sodium can help improve microbial safety and stability of foods, extending shelf life and limiting the chances of foodborne illness outbreaks. How Much Sodium Per Day? (New FDA Guidelines) Average sodium intake in the U.S. is estimated to be approximately 3,400 milligrams per day. This is considerably more than the amount recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. How much sodium per day should you have? Most authorities advise people 14 years and older to limit their consumption to 2,300 mg/day. In the U.S, “normal sodium levels” that can be supportive of general health are between 1,500 and 2,300 mg/day. A recommendation of no more than 2,300 mg/day has been based on a large body of research that indicates that higher than this amount may increase the risk for certain health conditions, especially high blood pressure (also called hypertension). FDA’s 2021 Guidelines: The FDA stated that its 2021 sodium reduction recommendations have the goal of “encouraging gradual, efficient reduction of overall sodium content.” The organization believes this is possible to do without disrupting the taste or shelf life of popular products, such as cheeses, condiments and soups. The main concern with high sodium intake in the U.S. is that it increases the risk for cardiovascular health problems. It’s been found that sodium consumption in the U.S. comes from a relatively small number of products that are produced by a limited number of food manufacturers. Therefore, the FDA believes that the best way to go about lowering the country’s salt intake is to have these manufacturers gradually reduce how much is used during the manufacturing process. Experts have pointed out that people’s taste buds can adapt to lower salt intake over time, so less salt in foods shouldn’t be a problem from a taste standpoint. This updated FDA guidance aims to help Americans reduce their average sodium intake to 3,000 mg/day. Experts believe that by encouraging food manufacturers, restaurants and food service operations to gradually reduce sodium in foods over time it will help people consume less salt/sodium without even really being aware of it. The 3,000 mg of sodium per day recommendation is still higher than the ideal sodium limit of 2,300 mg/day. However, the idea is that this is a step in the right direction and that’s it’s a realistic goal to hit within the next two to three years. At this time, the FDA guidance is intended to be viewed only as a recommendation, unless specific regulatory or statutory requirements change. For now, the guidance is suggested and encouraged for food manufacturers to follow but not required by law. How much sodium should you have a day on a low sodium diet? People with high blood pressure (or hypertension) are sometimes put on a low-sodium diet by their doctors to improve their conditions and prevent complications. How much sodium is OK for high blood pressure? For example, is 1,000 mg of sodium a lot? Is 200 mg of sodium a lot? The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2,300 mg a day for mostly healthy adults. It’s even less, ideally no more than 1,500 mg per day, for adults with hypertension or heart disease. This is based on the fact that your body only needs about 500 milligrams of sodium per day to function properly, which translates to less than a quarter teaspoon of added salt. Between 1,000 and 1,500 mg/day is generally low, but it’s possible as long as you monitor what you eat. Sticking to less than 200 to 500 mg of sodium per day is very low and often difficult to do. This would require eating nearly zero processed foods and a strict diet consisting of only homemade and mostly raw plant foods — plus such low amounts may contribute to some side effects, such as dizziness, weakness and brain fog. Too Much Salt vs. Low Sodium Consuming too much salt/sodium is a much more common problem than not consuming enough. For example, the average sodium intake for Americans is about 3,400 milligrams daily, nearly seven times the minimum amount that the human body needs! When your diet is high is salt (in other words, you have “excess sodium consumption”), you’re more at risk for: Hypertension, which is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke. Heart disease is currently the leading cause of death in the United States, while stroke is the fifth leading cause. An increase in excretion of calcium through the urine, which results in bone loss and higher risk for osteopenia or osteoporosis. Kidney disease due to damage of the small, delicate blood vessels in the kidneys. Decreasing population sodium intake is expected to reduce rates of hypertension. Research also shows that the increase in blood pressure seen with aging, common to most Western countries, is not observed in populations that consume low-sodium diets. Consuming less sodium may be able to help lower your blood pressure if this is a condition you’re dealing with. This approach has been demonstrated in many studies investigating the effects of the MIND Diet and DASH Diet (which stands for dietary approaches to stop hypertension). Researchers estimate that reductions in average sodium intake to a level of roughly 2,200 mg/day would result in tens of thousands fewer cases of heart disease and stroke each year, as well as billions of dollars in health care savings over time. How to Eat a Lower-Sodium Diet: Now that you know the potential dangers associated with high salt consumption, let’s look at how you can keep your intake in check. You can determine how much sodium a food contains by reading the nutrition facts label. A food is likely to be high or relatively high in sodium if the ingredient label includes words like “sodium,” “salt” and “soda” within the first few ingredients. As a general rule of thumb, processed foods that have been smoked, cured, salted or canned are generally foods high in sodium and should be limited. Foods high in sodium to avoid or limit include: Breads and rolls Pizza Sandwiches Condiments, like mustard, relish, mayonnaise Cold cuts, hot dogs, salami and other cured meats Soups Burritos and tacos Pre-made entrees and frozen dinners Savory snacks, such as chips, popcorn, pretzels, snack mixes and crackers Cheeses Tomato sauces Packaged vegetables Some bottled juices Soy sauce Salad dressings Boxed dessert mixes Buttermilk and some salted butters Foods that are naturally lower in salt/sodium include: Fresh fruits Fresh vegetables Whole grains Dried and then prepared legumes and beans (or rinsed well if canned) Nuts and seeds that aren’t roasted and smoked Lean animal protein and fish Salt substitutes that can be used in place of regular table salt to boost flavor of foods, such as garlic, onion, herbs, spices, lemon juice and vinegars Conclusion How much sodium per day do you need? For most adults in the U.S., it’s lower than what they consume. More than 70 percent of Americans’ sodium intake comes from foods where sodium is added during food manufacturing and commercial food preparation. This is why the FDA is recommending manufacturers reduce sodium content in popular foods. Average sodium intake in the U.S. over 3,400 mg/day, which can contribute to hypertension, cardiovascular and kidney disease, and bone loss. How much sodium per day should you have? Recommended daily sodium intakes depend on factors like your age, activity level and how generally healthy are (including your blood pressure). For most people, it’s recommended to stay below 2,400 milligrams of sodium per day. Ideally, however, sodium intake should actually be lower than 1,500 milligrams. Foods high in sodium include processed meats, canned foods, salty snacks and frozen or convenience items. Whole, fresh foods like veggies, fruits, fish and grains, on the other hand, are naturally low-sodium foods. To read the original article click here.

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