While salt’s role in high blood pressure has been known for some time, a 25-year study led by a Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health researcher has found that even a slight increase in daily intake appears to raise the risk of premature death.
The study was published October 3, 2016 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
“Consuming lower levels of sodium, as advocated by the American Heart Association and the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, will lead to lower blood pressure, lower risk of cardiovascular disease and lower subsequent mortality,” said lead researcher Nancy Cook, professor in the Department of Epidemiology at Harvard Chan School in an October 3, 2016 article on WebMD.com.
The American Heart Association states that, on average, Americans eat more than 3,400 milligrams of sodium each day.
Read the WebMd.com article: More Research Cites Salt’s Potential Health Risks
Learn more
Salt and Sodium (Harvard Chan’s The Nutrition Source)
This Week in Health: Taking Aim at Salt (Harvard Chan Podcast)
Sugar, Salt and Supplements: Sorting the Science (Harvard Chan Forum webcast)
High-sodium diets linked to 1.65 million annual deaths worldwide (Harvard Chan News)