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UPDATE 1-review questions benefits of reducing salt intake
English: Wednesday, November 9, 2011
MedlinePlus related topic
Sodium in diet
(Adds comment from an expert outside the studio)
By Kate Kellan
LONDON (Reuters) - Reducing salt intake in the diets of the general population would have an overall positive impact on health, according to a review of more than 160 scientific studies published on Wednesday.
In an analysis reactivates the debate on the effects of salt on health experts writing in the American Journal of Hypertension and the Journal of Cochrane Library systematic review said the added evidence to the growing body of evidence suggests that officials should reassess policies that encourage all consume less salt.
The review, which analyzed results of 167 previous studies, found that while reducing salt intake lowers blood pressure in people with normal blood pressure or high, also produces increases in certain hormones and other compounds that may adversely affect heart health .
"I can not really see, if you look at the overall evidence, there is reason to believe there is a net benefit of reducing salt intake in the general population," said Niels Graudal Reuters, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Denmark , who led the review.
It is known that reducing salt intake lowers blood pressure, but research has yet to demonstrate whether this translates into better overall heart health across the population.
Despite this, many countries have government guidelines calling for people to reduce their intake of salt or sodium for the sake of long-term health.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major cause of stroke (CVA), heart attack and other cardiovascular diseases, which together are the major factors of death worldwide, producing over 17 million deaths each year.
"The question is not whether 'we should' reduce salt intake, but 'how'," said Graham MacGregor, professor of cardiovascular medicine and president of Global Action on Salt, who said he strongly disagreed with the Gradual findings.
The World Health Organization (WHO) places the reduction in salt intake among the top 10 list of measures to reduce chronic disease rates.
Francesco Cappuccio, head of the Center for Nutrition at the University of Warwick, WHO Collaborating coincides with MacGregor.
According to Cappuccio, the study released Wednesday "should not distract our attention from the implementation of policies to reduce (consumption) salt at the population level worldwide, as indicated by national governments, the World Health Organization and United Nations ".
Will it be BENEFICIAL NET?
But a series of studies looking at salt intake recently suggested that the evidence base for policies to reduce population salt intake would not be as strong as initially thought.
A previous review by the Cochrane Library and British researchers published in July found no evidence that small reductions in salt intake will reduce the risk of developing heart disease or dying prematurely.
And another Belgian scientific research published in May indicated that people who ate lots of salt were not more likely to develop hypertension, and were also statistically less likely to die from heart disease than those with low salt intake.
Graudal said their results show that when salt intake is reduced, there are increases in certain hormones and fats known as lipids "that could be damaging if they persist over time."
The expert added that since none of the studies in the review was able to measure the effects on long-term health, his team could not conclude "if low-salt diets improve or worsen health outcomes."
Graudal said the growing number of studies that question the net benefit of lower salt intake should lead to public health officials to review their guidelines.
MacGregor Graudal disputed the conclusion about the lack of net benefit from reducing salt intake and said the review "clearly shows once again that reducing salt intake lowers blood pressure."
This study, contrary to what its authors say, supporting a dramatic evidence that reducing salt intake will be immensely beneficial in preventing stroke, heart attacks and heart failure, "he said in a statement sent to Reuters.
Reuters Health
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