Americans urged to cut salt consumption

WASHINGTON - The American Heart Association has issued an advisory, urging Americans to cut salt intake so as to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

The association’s recommendation for the general population is to consume no more than 1500 milligrams (mg) of sodium a day because of the harmful effects of sodium - elevated blood pressure and increased risk of stroke, heart attacks and kidney disease.

Elevated blood pressure (hypertension) is a major public health problem - approximately 90 percent of all Americans will develop hypertension over their lifetime.

Sodium consumption is currently more than two times higher than the recommended upper limit of 1,500 mg daily, with 77 percent of that consumption coming from packaged, processed and restaurant foods.

“Even a modest decline in intake - say 400 mg per day -would produce benefits that are substantial and warrant implementation,” said the advisory authors.

According to the advisory:

As sodium intake rises, so does blood pressure and the risk of negative health outcomes.

Independent of its effects on blood pressure, excess sodium intake adversely affects the heart, kidneys, and blood vessels.

The advisory has been published in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association. (ANI)