April 2, 2024 – Eating foods high in salt has long been associated with an increased risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. However, most studies on the effects of salt have focused on middle- and high-income groups.
One study found that a large proportion of low-income African Americans and white Americans exceed the current recommended sodium intake. So why are these people consuming too much salt?
„Access to food is almost always consistent in this marginalized group,“ says Lena Beer, registered dietitian and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Low access to healthier foods includes having few options other than ready-to-eat foods, a lack of education about healthier food choices, and an inability to afford high-quality food. , she said.
Salt is a necessary nutrient, but a diet with too much of this good stuff can lead to death from heart disease.
A large proportion of low-income African-Americans and white Americans consume more than the currently recommended sodium intake, a new study says, which „may contribute to higher rates of cardiovascular disease mortality.“ „Yes,“ said lead author Xiao-Ou Xu, MD. researcher in the Division of Epidemiology, School of Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville. Cardiovascular disease is a term that refers to problems with the heart and blood vessels.
Approximately 80% of the 65,000 people who took part in the study consumed more than the recommended daily amount of salt (or sodium) in their meals. The federal government recommends no more than 2,300 milligrams per day. In contrast, black Americans consumed an average of 4,512 milligrams of sodium per day from their diet, and low-income white Americans consumed an average of 4,041 milligrams of sodium per day.
Overall, too much sodium in the diet is associated with approximately 10% to 30% of deaths from cardiovascular disease. In this study, Published in an online journal on March 26th JAMA network open.
Barriers to healthier foods
„That's a solid study. This is something we often see in our daily practice, so it's good to have research to back it up,“ said Beal, who was not involved in the study.
„Atlanta has an urban food desert, but without a grocery store within walking distance or easily accessible by public transportation, people end up living in the proverbial food desert,“ said Beal, a cardiac nutritionist at Piedmont Atlanta Hospital. „You'll be shopping at the corner store down the street.“
“The barriers for those people are very real and evident when you deal with them every day,” she says.
According to the City of Atlanta, In 2015, only 52% of city residents lived within half a mile of fresh food, but by 2020 this number had increased to 75%. The city has set a goal of increasing this to 85% by 2025.
Looking ahead, Beal would like to see more action. “We must invest sufficient time, energy, research dollars, and resources in these communities to increase access to affordable, wholesome, healthy options.”
Excess salt, excess risk of death
Shu et al. examined patients a median of 14 years after they participated in the Southern Community Cohort Study. People between the ages of 40 and 79 were enrolled in the study from 2002 to 2009, most of them in health care providers serving underserved Americans in one of 12 southern states. He was from the center. Seventy-two percent were black, 28% were white, and about 83% lived in households with an annual income of less than $25,000.
After controlling for other things that can increase the risk of heart disease, researchers found that every 1,000 milligram increase in salt above the recommended 2,300 milligrams per day was associated with an increased risk of death. discovered.
For black patients, for example, this increased their risk of dying from any cause by 3%, their overall risk of cardiovascular disease by 7%, and their chance of dying from congestive heart disease by 8%. The risk was even higher for white patients, with an additional 8% chance of dying from cardiovascular disease and a 13% higher risk of dying from congestive heart disease. This group was also 55% more likely to die from heart failure.
And this problem isn't just among Americans of lower socioeconomic status.consumed by all Americans high levels of salt intake – Average of 3,400 milligrams per day.
Myths and potential solutions
Beer says people have multiple misconceptions about excess salt. On the medical side, people tend to misunderstand the „strong correlation with heart disease,“ and on the dietary side, people tend to misunderstand how easy it is to deal with.
Avoiding excess salt doesn't mean eating bland foods. Beer suggested adding herbs and spices instead of sprinkling with salt. For example, instead of boiling and eating rice that comes in a box with seasoning packs, choose rice that comes in a bag that you boil and season yourself.
„Special programs aimed at educating about the health risks of high salt intake and promoting healthy eating habits among these vulnerable populations should be a public health priority,“ said Mr. Hsu. Stated.
Beer encourages people to change their lifestyles in two ways, even if they are financially constrained. “What matters is how much or how often something is done: quantity or frequency.”
“How much” refers to portion control. „Frequency“ refers to the number of times you eat retort foods, instant foods, and processed foods. Restaurant meals, especially fast food, can also contain unknown amounts of salt.
Beer suggested choosing to buy a 100% fruit drink instead of dark soda. Choose a smaller bottle. Buy him an 8 oz drink instead of a 20 oz. If you buy ramen, drain it before eating. Additionally, limit condiments and sauces that are „high in salt or sugar,“ such as barbecue sauce, ketchup, and mayonnaise.
Research limitations and strengths
Shu and colleagues calculated dietary salt based on what participants in the Southern Community Cohort Study had previously reported. Therefore, changes over time cannot be taken into account. Self-reporting of dietary salt may also be less accurate than testing blood or urine samples.
Beal cited the study's large sample size and focus on underserved communities as strengths.
Asked about next steps, Xu said plans include investigating how genes influence the health effects of sodium.