Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is one of the major causes of death and disability in the world. However, it is possible to prevent them by modifying your lifestyle, in particular by adopting a diet healthy and engaging in regular physical activity. Recently, research has determined that the reduction in salt intake can also help reduce the risk of developing these diseases.
This study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology especially revealed that the addition of salt to food at a lower frequency is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, heart failure and ischemic heart disease. Previous research has already shown that high levels of sodium in the diet can contribute to the development of high blood pressure.
However, these studies have not yet demonstrated the effects of a salty diet on the long-term heart.
A survey to understand the effects of salt on cardiovascular health
The authors of this study decided to determine whether the frequency of adding salt to food was linked to the risk of heart disease. They then submitted the 176,570 participants from the UK Biobank to a precise questionnaire on their lifestyle and diet. The latter had to indicate precisely how often they added salt in their food, besides that used for cooking.
Participants were also asked if they had made any major changes to their diet in the past five years. The results of this survey are more than encouraging. She allowed to broaden our understanding salt-related behaviors on cardiovascular health. The researchers only regret that this study only involved participants who live in the UK.
A diet low in salt would reduce the risk of heart attacks
Lu Qi, HCA Regents Distinguished Chair and professor in the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine at Tulane University in New Orleans, worked on this project. Lu Qi and his team estimated thesodium intake in a person over time based on how often they add salt to their food.
They found that regardless of lifestyle factors and pre-existing conditions, people who add very little salt to their food had a much lower risk of cardiac events. Furthermore, combine a healthy and varied diet with a low-sodium diet would further reduce the risk of stroke. These results suggest that reducing the amount of salt consumed is already sufficient to improve the quality of life of patients.
SOURCE: SCITECHDAILY