Across 48 populations in the Intersalt study, blood pressures decreased as salt levels increased, suggesting the effect of large salt intake reductions on blood pressure is modest.
Does dietary salt reduction lower blood pressure and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease?
This review challenges the widely accepted salt hypothesis, suggesting that the effect of salt reduction on blood pressure is modest and that policy positions may be stronger than the scientific evidence warrants.
The salt hypothesis is that higher levels of salt in the diet lead to higher levels of blood pressure, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Intersalt, a cross-sectional study of salt levels and blood pressures in 52 populations, is often cited to support the salt hypothesis, but the data are somewhat contradictory. Four of the populations (Kenya, Papua, and 2 Indian tribes in Brazil) do have low levels of salt and blood pressure. Across the other 48 populations, however, blood pressures go down as salt levels go up, contradicting the hypothesis. Experimental evidence suggests that the effect of a large reduction in salt intake on blood pressure is modest, and health consequences remain to be determined. Funding agencies and medical journals have taken a stronger position favoring the salt hypothesis than is warranted, raising questions about the interaction between the policy process and science.
Freedman et al. (2001) conducted a review in Blood pressure. Salt intake was evaluated on Blood pressure. Across 48 populations in the Intersalt study, blood pressures decreased as salt levels increased, suggesting the effect of large salt intake reductions on blood pressure is modest.