There are two different measures, systolic blood pressure the highest pressure on blood vessels when the heart pushes blood out , and diastolic blood pressure the lowest pressure on blood vessels when the heart relaxes between beats. In , an estimated 1. Reducing salt intake remains an important public health strategy to decrease levels further.
As with salt intake, the prevalence of high blood pressure tends to be higher for men than for women figure 2. The exact reason for this difference is not fully understood, but higher intakes of salt may be partly to blame. Figure 2. Normally our kidneys do a good job at regulating the sodium and water levels of our blood. However, for many of us, eating too much salt can disturb this balance, causing sodium levels in the blood to increase.
This leads our body to hold onto more water and increases both the fluid surrounding our cells and the volume of blood in our bloodstream. As blood volume increases, the pressure on our blood vessels begins to increase and our heart needs to work harder to move blood around our body.
Over time this extra strain can lead to stiffening of blood vessels and increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. There is consistent evidence that moderate reductions i. It is important to note that salt is not the only lifestyle factor that can influence our blood pressure.
Other factors such as eating enough potassium, maintaining a healthy body weight , not smoking, and being physically active are also important when it comes to reducing blood pressure. You can find 7 lifestyle tips to help reduce blood pressure here. At an individual level, the benefit of reducing salt on blood pressure may be small.
However, at a population level, this small reduction can have a significant benefit on public health. To reach the 5 g of salt per day recommendation set by EFSA, both individuals and the food industry will need to commit to improving dietary choices and reducing the salt content of products, respectively.
Many EU countries have made progress in industry-led salt reduction campaigns , but more work is needed if we want to reach the target set by EFSA. Salt intake in Europe and across the globe remains well above recommended levels. The high prevalence of high blood pressure and the increased risk of disease it brings emphasises the importance of salt reduction campaigns for both industry and individuals. Most of the salt we consume comes from ready-to-eat convenience foods, as well as foods prepared outside of the home.
Salt affects people differently. Salt sensitivity is most prevalent among people who are middle-aged or elderly, overweight or obese, and African-American. It also tends to become more prevalent as we age. One of the first things your doctor will recommend is modifying your lifestyle by:. Even with salt restriction and lifestyle changes, blood pressure may remain elevated, Dr.
Laffin notes. Medications, in addition to lifestyle changes, are oftentimes also needed to lower your blood pressure. Examples of medications include:. Besides encouraging you to keep hypertension and diabetes under control, your doctor may test you annually for kidney disease.
The newer research adds to a larger discussion that has evolved over the last few years about salt intake but does not replace the existing evidence. Much of the research that questions sodium intake and health problems relies on flawed data, including inaccurate measurements of sodium intake and an overemphasis on studying sick people rather than the general population.
Often, the studies with paradoxical findings are poorly designed to examine the relationship between sodium intake and the health outcome of interest. The American Heart Association published a Science Advisory in February that discussed the problems with many of the studies that question how sodium is related to heart disease. One estimate suggested that if the U. Another estimate projected that achieving this goal would reduce CVD deaths by anywhere from , to nearly 1.
Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisers. See our editorial policies and staff.
Eat Smart. American Heart Association Cookbooks. Nutrition Basics. Healthy For Good: Spanish Infographics. Many packaged foods that contain a lot of salt have other ingredients that balance out the salty flavour, so that the salt is effectively hidden in the food. Some products, like sports drinks, are advertised as a good way to replace lost salts after working out.
Under usual circumstances, sports drinks that contain electrolytes are not necessary for rehydration — the process of replacing lost fluids and salts. Tap water and consuming a healthy diet will help replace any nutrients lost during any activity. You can read more about good hydration and how to avoid dehydration here. Sports drinks can be used to rehydrate if you have exercised continuously for 90 minutes or more. If you do have high blood pressure, reducing salt, along with getting regular physical activity, moderating alcohol intake, quitting smoking and reducing stress, might help manage it, reducing the risk of damage to your body.
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