A long-running study “reports that lowering sodium intake doesn’t reduce blood pressure,” says the San Diego Tribune. The results are contrary to long-accepted medical advice and suggest that most Americans consume healthy amounts of salt, the most common form of sodium.
“But those who are salt-sensitive, about 20 to 25 percent of the population, still need to restrict salt intake,” said the newspaper. High blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke, which has led to suggestions that lower salt consumption would reduce blood pressure and disease risk. The new report was delivered at a medical meeting in Chicago by associate professor Lynn Moore of the Boston University medical school.
Moore’s report was based on a study of 2,600 men and women who were followed for 16 years. “We saw no evidence that a diet lower in sodium had any long-term beneficial effects on blood pressure,” said Moore. “Our findings add to growing evidence that current recommendations for sodium intake may be misguided.” The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends a limit of 2,300 milligrams a day of sodium for healthy people. The study found that people who consumed less than 2,500 milligrams a day had higher blood pressure than those who consumed higher amounts of sodium.