|
doi:10.1094/CFW-53-1-0043 |
VIEW ARTICLE Nutrition: Salt and Blood Pressure—A Need to Reduce Levels at Any Age J. M. Jones. Food and Nutrition Department, College of St. Catherine, St. Paul, MN. Cereal Foods World 53(1):43-45. Studies on salt intake of Western countries—such as the recent one reported here from the Swiss—continue to document high sodium intake in adults. In the study of adults from Geneva, the average dietary salt intake was calculated to be 10.6 g/d for men and 8.1 g/d for women. During the 12 yr course of the study, the salt intake varied little and, unfortunately, remained well above recommended levels. In addition to actual intakes of salt, salt density—that is salt per energy intake reported in g/MJ—was also calculated. Salt density was shown to increase both with age and with body mass index. In the Swiss cohort, dietary sources of nondiscretionary salt accounted for 48% of the salt intake. Breads accounted for 17%, cheeses 10–11%, meat and meat products 7–8%, soups 6–9%, and ready-to-eat foods 5%. The authors concluded that salt intakes from all sources were too high for those in Geneva and probably most all Swiss adults. The concern about high sodium intakes is due to the link between salt intake and increased blood pressure in the adult population. Elevated blood pressure is associated with metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease. Worldwide, more than 26% of adults have hypertension. Annually, nearly 8 million cardiovascular deaths are attributed to hypertension.
|
|