People with heart disease could greatly benefit from cutting down on salt, yet a recent study reveals they typically consume more than double the recommended daily amount.
This finding was shared at the American College of Cardiology’s annual meeting, highlighting a critical gap in the fight against heart disease.
Salt is a necessary part of our diets, but too much can be harmful, leading to high blood pressure, strained blood vessels, and a harder working heart. It can also cause the body to hold onto extra fluid, worsening conditions like heart failure.
Despite these risks, most adults are advised to keep their salt intake under 2,300 mg a day—about a teaspoon of table salt. For those with heart conditions, the recommendation is even stricter at 1,500 mg a day, as set by heart health experts.
The study in question looked at over 3,100 people with heart disease and found a staggering 89% consumed more than 1,500 mg of sodium daily, with an average intake over twice that amount. This is concerning since reducing salt is known to decrease the chance of further heart problems.
Elsie Kodjoe, the lead researcher, pointed out the difficulties many face in tracking how much salt they eat, especially with processed and restaurant foods.
Despite the information available on food labels, sticking to a low-salt diet is a challenge, even for those with a strong reason to follow it.
The data came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and covered a decade’s worth of information from patients with various heart conditions.
On average, these patients consumed 3,096 mg of sodium daily, slightly below the national average but still much higher than recommended for heart health.
There seems to be little difference in salt consumption across socioeconomic groups, suggesting that the issue spans across various backgrounds.
Kodjoe suggests that more practical ways of estimating and reducing sodium in diets are needed, possibly starting with a reduction in the sodium content of foods at the source.
For individuals looking to cut back on salt, preparing meals at home and paying close attention to food labels—aiming for products with 140 mg of sodium or less per serving—can help.
Education on the benefits of reducing sodium intake could also encourage more people to adopt healthier eating habits.
The importance of managing salt intake cannot be overstressed, with cardiovascular disease being the leading cause of death worldwide.
Following sodium intake guidelines is a straightforward strategy that could reduce hospital visits, healthcare costs, and the overall impact of heart disease.
While the study used food recall questionnaires to estimate sodium intake, which has its limitations, future research could provide even clearer insights by using 24-hour urine samples, a more accurate method of measuring sodium consumption.
If you care about heart failure, please read studies about diabetes drug that could revolutionize heart failure treatment, and this drug can be a low-cost heart failure treatment
For more information about heart health, please see recent studies that exercise in middle age reversed worrisome heart failure, and results showing this drug combo can cut risk of stroke and heart attack by half.
Copyright © 2024 Knowridge Science Report. All rights reserved.
