Study Reexamines Effect of Sodium Intake on Health
A recent study has purportedly claimed that “both low sodium intakes and high sodium intakes are associated with increased mortality,” raising questions about sodium consumption guidelines set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other health authorities. Niels Graudal, et al., “Compared with Usual Sodium Intake, Low- and Excessive-Sodium Diets are Associated with Increased Mortality: A Meta-Analysis,” American Journal of Hypertension, April 2014. After analyzing data from 23 cohort and two followup studies involving 274,683 individuals, Danish researchers reported that the risks of all-cause mortality and cardiovascular disease events “were decreased in usual sodium vs. low sodium intake… and increased in high-sodium vs. usual sodium intake,” a result “consistent with a U shaped association between sodium intake and health outcomes.”
In particular, the main findings apparently showed that “2,645-4,945 mg of sodium per day, a range of intake within which the vast majority of Americans fall, actually results in more favorable health outcomes than the CDC’s current recommendation of less than 2,300 mg/day for healthy individuals under 50 years old, and less than 1,500 mg/day for most over 50 years,” according to an April 2, 2014, press release. The study thus confirmed the conclusions of a 2013 Institute of Medicine (IOM) report that found little evidence to support CDC recommendations advocating lower sodium intake for all populations.
“The good news,” the lead author was quoted as saying, “is that around 95% of the global population already consumes within the range we’ve found to generate the least instances of mortality and cardiovascular disease.” Additional details about the IOM report appear in Issue 484 of this Update.
Issue 519
