Skip the Salt to Slash Stroke Risk

A number of previous studies associate excessive salt intake with hypertension and increased cardiovascular disease morbidity and mortality.  The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a maximum daily salt intake not to exceed 5 grams — equivalent to about 2,000 mg of sodium.  Marieke AH Hendriksen, from thte Dutch National Institute for Public Health & Environment (The Netherlands), and colleagues observe that the average salt intake among Dutch adults is about 83.4 grams per day — markedly higher than the WHO guidelines.  The team calculated that up to 6% of the nation’s strokes, and up to 5% of the nation’s heart attacks — may be avoided, if residents complied with the WHO guidelines.  The study authors urge that: “Substantial health benefits might be achieved when added salt is removed from processed foods and when consumers choose more for low-salt food alternatives.”