Salt and blood pressure
Raised blood pressure is the most important factor involved in the development of cardiovascular disease, and accounts for 60% of all strokes and 50% of all heart disease.
A large number of studies have been conducted, all of which support the concept that salt
intake is the major factor increasing population blood pressure. The diversity and strength of
the evidence is much greater than for other lifestyle factors, eg weight reduction, lack of fruit and vegetable consumption and lack of exercise. The evidence that links salt to blood
pressure is as strong as that linking cigarette smoking to cancer and heart disease.
It is estimated that reducing salt intake by 6g a day, through the effect that this would have on blood presure, could lead to a 24% reduction in deaths from strokes and an 18% reduction in deaths from coronary heart disease, thus preventing approximately 2.6 million stroke and heart attack deaths each year worldwide.
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