A New Study Identified Link Between Sodium Consumption and Cardiovascular Deaths

The World Health Organization suggests that people must take less than 2 g of sodium daily. But a new research discovers that sodium consumption above this suggestions accounts for nearly 10% cardiovascular fatalities worldwide every year.

The study team, lead by Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian, recently presented their results in The New England Journal of Medicine.

Sodium is an element that occurs naturally in most foods, like as table salt, celery, beets and milk. It is also included in high amounts to processed foods, which includes bread and processed meats.

Excessive dietary sodium can raise blood pressure, and high blood pressure is a main risk aspect for cardiovascular problems, like heart disease and stroke.

“However,” says Dr. Mozaffarian, “the outcomes of excess sodium consumption on cardiovascular diseases worldwide by age, gender, and country had not been well recognized.”

Too much sodium consumption attributable to 1.65 million cardiovascular deaths globally

To obtain a superior insight into how extra dietary sodium impacts cardiovascular health on a worldwide scale, the study team reviewed data from 205 surveys of sodium consumption representing around 75 percednt of the globe’s adult population.

They also evaluated global nutrition information to be able to see how sodium consumption differs by sex, age group and nation. In addition, they performed combined meta-analyses to evaluate the effects of sodium on blood pressure, and independently, the effects of blood pressure on cardiovascular conditions.

The research team’s outcomes were used to current international rates of cardiovascular conditions, and they used this data to approximate how many fatalities are triggered by sodium intake over 2 g per day.

Outcomes of the research unveiled that the average globally sodium intake in 2010 was 3.95 g daily – nearly twice the everyday recommendation set by the WHO.

All global regions had sodium consumption over the WHO suggestions. These varied from 2.18 g daily in sub-Saharan Africa to 5.51 g daily in Central Asia.

This unwanted sodium consumption was attributable to 1.65 million cardiovascular-associated fatalities globally – the equivalent to 10% deaths from cardiovascular reasons.

The scientists identified that 4 out of 5 global fatalities attributable to unwanted sodium intake took place in low- and middle-income nations.

How is the US impacted by sodium consumption?

The average everyday sodium consumption in the US was nearly 80% greater than the WHO suggestions, at 3.6 g, and considerably greater than the 2.3 g per day consumption suggested by the federal government’s Dietary Guidelines for People in America.

In add-on, the scientists identified that everyday sodium consumption over 2 g accounts for about 58,000 cardiovascular-relevant fatalities in the US every year.

Posting comments on the outcomes, research author John Powles, states that:

“These new results notify the need for strong plans to decrease dietary sodium in the U.S. and throughout the world.”

From their meta-analyses, the scientists identified that decreasing sodium intake reduced blood pressure in all adults, mainly among blacks, older people and those who previously had high blood pressure.

“Plans to decrease sodium consumption could offer a realistic and cost-effective means for decreasing early deaths in grownups around the world,” adds Powles.

The group notes that their research is subject to some restrictions. For instance, estimates of sodium consumption were based on urine samples, which might have underestimated actual sodium intake.