Concurrent Session 10: AWASH – Salt, the hidden dietary guidelines

Background – Thirty percent of Australians have high blood pressure and the incidence of hypertension rises with age, such that between 60 and 70 years, 70 % of the population has hypertension [1]. Hypertension is a major risk factor for the development of coronary disease and strokes. There is a large body of evidence implicating high intakes of dietary sodium to hypertension. Objective – To summarize the evidence to date implicating dietary salt (sodium) in the development and maintenance of hypertension, cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis and review the information on the current dietary sodium intake with reference to the Suggested Dietary Target for health [2]. Outcomes – Meta-analyses of intervention studies continued for at least four weeks have demonstrated significant reductions in blood pressure. Twenty trials in individuals with elevated blood pressure (n=802) and 11 trials in individuals with normal blood pressure (n=2220) with a mean reduction of 78 mmol (4.6 g/day salt), reduced systolic pressure (SBP) by 5.1 mmHg and diastolic pressure (DBP) by 2.7 mmHg in hypertensive individuals. A 74 mmol (4.4 g/day salt) reduction in normotensives reduced SBP by 2.0 mmHg, and DBP blood pressure by 1.0 mmHg [3]. On a population basis, it has been estimated that a reduction of 2 mm Hg in SBP blood pressure would result in 6 % reduction in risk of stroke and a 4 % reduction in risk of coronary heart disease, and an overall reduction in mortality of 3 % [4]. Few studies have linked lower sodium intake to reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, bu