A recent study, published in JAMA Network Open, has highlighted a concerning link between high salt intake and the risk of death from cardiovascular disease (CVD), such as heart disease and stroke, especially among low-income Black and White Americans in the Southeastern United States.
The study, led by Dr. Hyung-Suk Yoon and his team at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, examined the diet and health outcomes of 64,329 individuals aged between 40 and 79 years, who were recruited from 12 Southeastern states between 2002 and 2009.
The findings revealed a startling consumption pattern: the average daily sodium intake was significantly higher than the recommended limit of 2,300 mg, with Black participants consuming around 4,512 mg and White participants consuming about 4,041 mg per day.
This high intake of sodium was prevalent, with over 80% of participants, regardless of race, exceeding the dietary guidelines.
Over a median follow-up period of nearly 14 years, there were 17,811 deaths, of which 5,701 were due to CVD.
The study found that for every additional 1,000 mg of sodium consumed daily, there was a noticeable increase in the risk of death from total CVD and coronary heart disease (CHD), particularly among Black individuals.
These increases were similarly significant among White individuals.
Interestingly, the study did not find a significant association between high sodium intake and cancer mortality.
However, it estimated that excessive sodium intake could be responsible for 10% of all CVD deaths, 13% of CHD deaths, and a staggering 30% of heart failure deaths in this population group.
These findings underscore the urgent need for dietary modification strategies that are specifically designed for marginalized and low-income populations.
The goal is to improve health outcomes and prevent the widening of health disparities in the United States. The study emphasizes the importance of reducing sodium intake as a straightforward and potentially impactful public health measure.
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The research findings can be found in JAMA Network Open.
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