Regulate salt content, or not? This debate brings up the age-old dilemma of defining the proper role of government and deciding whether that role changes when we, as a tax-paying nation, are going to get stuck with the bills (i.e. health care). – Ilene
There’s no doubt about the health dangers of salt
By Franco Cappuccio and Simon Capewell, at New Scientist
SALT hidden in food kills millions of people worldwide. Reducing dietary salt is therefore important for public health; it is also one of the cheapest and easiest ways to save lives. So why are efforts to cut dietary salt being met with fierce resistance?
First the facts. Decreasing salt intake substantially reduces blood pressure, thus lowering the risk of heart attacks and strokes. An analysis of all the available evidence, published in 2007, suggested that reducing salt intake around the world by 15 per cent could prevent almost 9 million deaths by 2015. That is on par with the public health benefits of reducing cholesterol and stopping smoking (The Lancet, vol 370, p 2044).
Other analyses have concluded that cutting daily salt intake by 5 grams could reduce strokes by 23 per cent and cardiovascular disease by 14 per cent (BMJ, vol 339, p b4567; Journal of Human Hypertension,..).
The benefits of salt reduction may also extend further. Links have repeatedly been reported between high salt intake and chronic kidney damage, stomach cancer and osteoporosis.
There is no doubt that our salt intake is excessive…
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This excess intake is not a matter of personal choice. Only about 15 per cent of the salt in our diets comes from our own salt shakers; the rest is added to foods before they are sold. Salt is added to make food more palatable, to increase the water content of meat products and to increase thirst. All generate profit for the food and drink industry.
