In a reaction to the <<>> announcement at the end of June, the <<>>, in brief <<>>, maintains its position that the current scientific understanding does not justify the reduction of the daily salt intake for healthy people.
In a new risk assessment, EFSA concluded that the current salt intake increases blood pressure, a major risk factor in heart disease and premature death. EuSalt sticks to the conclusions of its International Conference held earlier this year, i.e. that the existing medical guidelines are obsolete and that the healthy population in general does not have any benefit from reducing salt.
EuSalt maintains its position for various reasons. On a scientific basis, EuSalt refers to the Jürgens & Graudal Study of 2004. This meta-analysis evaluates all available science since 1966 and concludes that people with normal blood pressure do not benefit from a reduced salt intake. Reduced salt intake in people with elevated blood pressure has a useful effect to reduce blood pressure in the short-term. However, long-term trials of the effect of reduced dietary sodium intake on blood pressure, are required to establish whether this is a useful treatment strategy. EuSalt refers also to the Hooper et al Study, which states that, although a low sodium diet helps in preventing elevated blood pressure following withdrawal of antihypertensives, long-term maintenance of low sodium intake for individuals is difficult. The overall clinical benefits (or harms) of a reduced sodium diet are unclear, further research is urgently needed to explore this.
The He & MacGregor Study also shows a minimal fall in blood pressure in healthy people who cut down their salt intake by 4 g/day for four weeks.