Eat less salt, reduce risk of heart attack

A study linking low sodium diets to increased risk of cardiovascular disease in adults has shown that moderation is vital when it comes to salt consumption.

The study, published in The Lancet, looked at the effects of salt in adults with and without high blood pressure.

According to cardiosmart.org, it is well established that high sodium intake increases the risk for high blood pressure, heart attack and death.

Researchers analysed data from four large studies that included more than 133,000 adults from 49 countries. All studies used 24-hour urine samples to assess salt consumption and followed the participants for over four years, tracking key outcomes like heart attacks and death.

In all, about half of the study participants had high blood pressure. After analysis, researchers found that salt intake affected adults with and without hypertension differently.


In both groups, low salt consumption was associated with 26 to 34 per cent greater risk for heart events and death compared to moderate consumption. However, consuming more than 7,000 mg/day salt increased risk for heart events and death in adults with hypertension.

The study also showed that consuming too little salt can be harmful in adults with and without hypertension.

Therefore, the authors suggested that lowering salt consumption should mainly be targeted at adults with hypertension and high sodium diets.