We Consume Salt In Excessive Amounts

Author: Mark Velov Time for reading: ~1 minutes Last Updated: August 08, 2022

A meta-analysis found that people around the world consumed excessive amounts of salt - more than twice the recommended intake.

Consumption of large amounts of salt carries a risk of developing cardiovascular disease, say researchers from Tufts University in Boston, USA.

The researchers explained that excessive sodium intake raises blood pressure levels, which puts them at high risk for cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke. Globally, the health consequences are not precisely defined by gender, age and nationality.

To gain a deeper understanding of the effect of sodium on cardiovascular health, the researchers performed a meta-analysis of current cardiovascular data from previous studies monitoring sodium intake. Global nutrition data are also taken into account.

The analysis shows that sodium intake worldwide far exceeds the recommended daily intake by the World Health Organization - 2 g per day. In fact, its average level is about 4 g per day, and it varies in different parts of the world. 5 g of salt contains approximately 2 g of sodium.

Sodium intake is 2.18 g in Africa, 3.6 g in North America and 5.5 g in Central Asia. In Europe, the intake also exceeds the recommended amounts, with data showing that in 2008 42% of fatalities are due to cardiovascular disease. The bottom line is that we all eat too much salt.

According to the World Health Organization, most cases of cardiovascular disease can be prevented by avoiding risk factors. These include excessive sodium intake, smoking, obesity, sedentary lifestyle, high blood pressure and diabetes.

The study is published in the New England Journal of Medicine .

We Consume Salt In Excessive Amounts

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