Reducing sodium intake has been associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, as well as reductions in blood pressure, even among those with normal blood pressure.
Most of the studies supporting these findings involved a predominantly white study population. Now, scientists report online in the journal Hypertension that reducing salt intake is associated with significant blood pressure reductions in whites, blacks, and Asians.
Investigators from the United Kingdom carried out a 6-week trial in 71 whites, 69 blacks, and 29 Asians with mild, untreated hypertension in order to evaluate the effects of salt restriction on several cardiovascular risk factors, including blood pressure, urine albumin excretion, and arterial stiffness. They found that reducing salt intake was associated with reductions in blood pressure, urinary albumin, and arterial stiffness. The reductions in blood pressure and urinary albumin were statistically significant among all three ethnic groups, but decreases in arterial stiffness were significant only among blacks.
Based on their findings, the investigators concluded that even modest reductions in salt intake could potentially result in substantial reductions in blood pressure. The investigators also note that approximately 80 percent of salt intake in developed countries comes from sodium that is added by the food injury. Perhaps policy changes are needed to reduce the amount of salt that is added to the food available on grocery store shelves.
Source:
Hypertension. Published online July 20, 2009.
Created on: 08/05/2009
Reviewed on: 08/05/2009
Reviewed on: 08/05/2009
Your rating: None
Update: I heard back from the friend-of-friend who worked on Gardasil. Her words:
ReplyDelete"The recommendations come from (a) the characteristics of our study population and (b) who the FDA says we can say it's indicated for and (c) who the CDC decides to recommend it for - i.e. add to the recommended vaccine schedule, which gets it federal funding for uninsured children, etc."
Group speculation wins; everyone was a little bit right.